Naomi Osaka suffered an unfortunate first-round exit at Roland Garros yesterday, leaving the Japanese tennis star downbeat.
After all, it has not been the fairytale return to tennis that she would have envisioned, having taken a break from the sport in 2023 to give birth to her first child.
Returning for the 2024 season, it was no surprise that her loss of ranking and fitness saw her struggle to pick up any consistency.
It felt like she would sort things out eventually, but that just never came. On Monday, it seems that consistent struggle boiled over in her press conference.
Rick Macci makes Naomi Osaka prediction
Brought to tears at her inability to compete, Osaka apologised to those around her.
She told reporters: ‘I hate disappointing people.
‘Even with Patrick (Mouratoglou) I was thinking just now that he goes from working with like the greatest player ever to like… what the f—- this is. You know what I mean? Sorry for cursing. I hope I don’t get fined.’
Well, one particularly high-profile figure in the sport remains optimistic about her chances, with Serena Williams’ former coach, Rick Macci, taking to X to express his support.
He wrote: ‘Osaka has all the qualities to get back in the top ten. There is a fine line between winning/ losing. Her movement is not as explosive as before and overall anticipation is not as instinctive. A comeback is a slippery slope like a bar of soap but as long as working hard is her best friend she can get back in the top ten.’
This is despite Osaka winning her first title since 2021 earlier this month.
Naomi Osaka continues to get tough draws after French Open loss
Although it will go down as a first-round exit, Osaka should take so much heart from the defeat.
After all, she did take the first set against Badosa, a top-ten player, and competed well in the third too.
Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images
She was in the match, and only fine margins stopped her from being the eventual victor.
However, the draw alone represents a frustrating trend for the 27-year-old, who continues to receive harsh first-round opponents in Grand Slam tournaments.
At the start of the year, she had to overcome Caroline Garcia, a tricky Frenchwoman with a fearsome forehand, and actually beat Karolína Muchová before retiring in the third round.
Then, stretching back to the US Open, once she had bypassed Jelena Ostapenko, she was rewarded with a second-round match against a far-more in-form Muchova again, where she lost.
Wimbledon was not much kinder, with Emma Navarro waiting to knock her out after she had beaten Diane Parry in the first round.
Photo by Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images
And then this time last year, she came so desperately close to beating the then-world number one and defending champion Iga Swiatek at the French Open, bringing about a match point but failing to convert.
Osaka has all the talent to compete with the very best on tour, and with time she will get back to the top. There’s no doubt about that.
AloJapan.com