The 2018 US Open champion Naomi Osaka has admitted she is sad, but not mad about her defeat in this year’s US Open, after her exit from the tournament.
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The Japanese star did not only lose her title, but will also lose her number one ranking on the WTA charts after she was well beaten by Swiss player Belinda Bencic in straight sets 7-5, 6-4.
Osaka stunned the tennis world last year when she beat heavy favourite Serena Williams in a controversy-stricken final at Flushing Meadows. She proved herself to be a force in the sport again this year when she captured the Australian Open in January but things haven’t gone to plan since.
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Many expected her to keep dominating following such a strong display over the two Slams. However, she experienced a sharp dip in form during the European leg of the season which included early losses at the French Open – to Katerina Siniakova in straight sets – and in the first round at Wimbledon – to Yulia Putintseva, who had beaten her just prior to Wimbledon at the Birmingham Classic.
Osaka was clearly crushed with her defeat and there were signs of inexperience when she cut short her post-match press conference, fighting back tears.
As a result, fans were keen to see how she reacted following her exit from the US Open. But she handled her defeat quite well, remaining calm and composed on court as well as in the post-match conference. In fact, she mentioned how she was handling this blow better than she had at Wimbledon and Roland-Garros.
Speaking to the media, Osaka said:
“Honestly, I’m not that mad at this [defeat at US Open]. Of course, I can look at this and be very disappointed and mad, but I feel like I’m not mad at it.”
She insisted that she had grown as a person, and could take a defeat like this in her stride and learn from it. She also said she felt more motivated than ever now.
On a slightly lighter note, Osaka announced she is keeping her mind off tennis at the moment and she just wants to enjoy some street food.
She next plays at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, back in her birthplace, the city of Osaka in Japan. Last year she made the finals in her homeland following her maiden grand Slam.
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