Naomi Osaka’s inspiring run to the 2025 US Open semifinals reminded fans of her championship pedigree, but it came with an unexpected burden. Just days after her heartbreaking exit in New York, the four-time Grand Slam champion took to social media to express her frustration about being repeatedly subjected to anti-doping tests.
How Did Naomi Osaka React to Repeated Anti-Doping Checks During Her Comeback Season?
Osaka’s comeback has been one of the most closely followed stories in tennis this year. After stepping away from the sport for maternity leave, she rejoined the tour at the 2024 Brisbane International and spent much of that season regaining match sharpness.
Her persistence began paying off in the 2025 campaign, starting with a strong showing at the Auckland Classic in January, where she reached the final but was forced to retire with an abdominal issue after claiming the first set against Clara Tauson.
A few months later, she lifted her first trophy in nearly four years at the Saint-Malo WTA 125 event, defeating Kaja Juvan in straight sets to capture her first title as a mother. Her momentum carried into bigger stages, including a WTA 1000 final in Montreal, where she fell to Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, before capping the summer with a deep run at Flushing Meadows.
At the US Open, Osaka powered through a tough draw, ousting Greet Minnen, Hailey Baptiste, Daria Kasatkina, 2023 champion Coco Gauff, and No. 11 seed Karolína Muchová en route to the semifinals. Her campaign ended in three sets against local favorite Amanda Anisimova, who went on to finish as the tournament’s runner-up.
‘LET’S GO!’ She says! pic.twitter.com/LEh1KA4qmU
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 5, 2025
However, in the aftermath of her New York run, Osaka revealed the toll of heightened anti-doping scrutiny. Sharing her thoughts on Threads, she posted: “You know you’re doing well when antidoping keeps showing up 💀😭😭😭.”
What Makes Anti-Doping Tests Particularly Challenging for Osaka?
The testing frequency represents just one part of Osaka’s complicated relationship with anti-doping protocols. She has previously opened up about the physical challenges these tests present for her personally.
During her pre-tournament press conference at the French Open earlier this year, Osaka described her experience with testing officials. “They’re kind of scary. Yeah, for me, anti-doping is like… I don’t have a great relationship with them,” she admitted.
The physical aspect proves particularly difficult for Osaka. “Just because they always come and take blood and urine, which I don’t know if that disgusts people to say, but whatever, and my veins are very notoriously hard to find,” she explained.
This challenge became evident when testing officials struggled to locate her veins during a 5 a.m. test before the French Open, resulting in multiple attempts and subsequent bruising on her arms. The experience echoed a similar situation from the previous year at Roland Garros.
Following her US Open semifinals appearance, Osaka shared another frustrating experience on Instagram. She posted a picture of her arm with a bandage from a blood draw, writing: “When anti-doping comes 2 times in 5 days and gets you in the same arm each time 😭😭😭”
Off the singles court, Osaka also entered the mixed doubles draw alongside Gaël Monfils as wild cards, though the duo exited in the first round after losing to Caty McNally and Lorenzo Musetti in the Fast Four format.
MORE: Naomi Osaka Admits She Felt There Was ‘Something Wrong’ With Her When She Watched Other Moms Succeed on Tour
Up next, Osaka is slated to compete at the 2025 China Open in Beijing, which will run from September 24 to October 5. It’ll mark her fifth main-draw appearance at the event, where she previously lifted the trophy in 2019 and advanced to the semifinals in 2018.
AloJapan.com