Top player Naomi Osaka hopes that she will not get fined after accidentally swearing during a press conference following a difficult loss in the first round of the French Open to Paula Badosa.
During the match, Osaka won the first set in a tie-break, and she was likely to win. However, Badosa came back stronger as the match continued and won the second set. Badosa also won a fierce third set to seal the victory with a final scoreline of 6-7(1), 6-1, 6-4.
Lately, the athlete has been struggling with inconsistency in her play in the last few years. Osaka then believed that Badosa won by playing more aggressively.
“I think she was probably more aggressive or something… I feel like that’s a mistake that I have made in the past two matches. It’s something that I’m trying to fix,” Osaka said.
She also added, “I think as time goes on, I feel like I should be doing better… But, also, I kind of talked about this before, maybe a couple of years ago, or maybe recently, I’m not sure. I hate disappointing people.”
Osaka’s athletic performance
Naomi Osaka was known as one of the biggest stars in women’s tennis. She was seen as a top player in the sport as she won four major Grand Slam tournaments.
However, she took time off from the sport after giving birth to her daughter in 2023, and she has struggled to regain her previous form since then. Her best result recently in a Grand Slam since her comeback was making it to the third round of the Australian Open earlier this year.
Osaka is now training with Patrick Mouratoglou, the former coach of Serena Williams. The 27-year-old athlete admitted that she feels like she’s letting people down because she’s not playing her best tennis at the moment.
She admitted with an accidental curse, “So even with Patrick, I was thinking this just now, but he goes from working with the greatest player ever to what the f*** is this? You know what I mean? Sorry for cursing, I hope I don’t get fined, but…”
Osaka was given a moment to compose herself, and the press conference was paused. When she came back, she expressed that she would now plan her schedule for the summer and that she was excited for her first match on the grass.
“At least I made my fashion + tennis people proud 🌸💕” Osaka shared in a social media post.
Netizens rallied behind Osaka, praising her performance and reminding her she’s still a champion. One wrote, “Don’t underestimate yourself, Naomi… You are a great champion! Never forget it 🙌❤,” while another added, “You are amazing, played so well, gave it your all!👏👏👏 Your many many fans adore you!💓”