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BNP PARIBAS WTA FINALS

October 25, 2015

Naomi Osaka

SIngapore, Singapore

N. OSAKA/C. Garcia
3‑5, 5‑4, 4‑1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How does it feel to win, and how surprised were you after coming here and playing all those matches to be sitting there with the trophy?
NAOMI OSAKA: How surprised? I'm not really that surprised. I'm more surprised that I got into the finals than that I won, because I didn't really do that well.
Only won one match, so I was very thankful for that opportunity.

Q. Congratulations. Can you walk us through the experience of the whole few days spent here, and what were the highlights for you besides the trophy obviously?
NAOMI OSAKA: Well, it was kind of busy. Like I don't usually do certain stuff. Like we did this player party sort of thing where I had to dress up. I don't usually dress up and wear high heels.
Then I stayed awake until 11:00, and I usually go to sleep at 9:00. So I was kind of like really tired. Yeah.

Q. How do I think about this invitational, like Rising Star Invitational. It's kind of different game, like short game. How do you think about it? Tell me about it.
NAOMI OSAKA: Well, in the very beginning, like I was really nervous because it was like a really big‑‑ like I've never even practiced on this court. So just being there like I was really nervous.
Like when the match started I started off really slow, because I do that, I start off really slow. (Laughter.)
That's why I was like 3‑0. Then I like started playing somewhat okay. Yeah.

Q. So for this tournament it's different in the sense you get a coach to sit beside you the whole match. I want to know how different was that, the experience? Given that it's someone that you're really close to in your case, when things are not going well, what are the dynamics like? Do you tell him to shut up? What are the things you really look out for in a match like that?
NAOMI OSAKA: I guess just my serve. Like it's very important because I can win a point easily like if I place it and it goes in.
Then like service return and figuring out the other person's patterns. Like that's basically what my dad was sitting there for. There was nothing he could help me with physically. It was just like tactics sort of.

Q. You said that you weren't surprised once you made the final that you could beat Caroline. Talk to us about why. Where does that confidence come from? She is the No. 35 player in the world and the most experienced in the field.
NAOMI OSAKA: This isn't an American term, a recent American term, but I didn't want to be Meek‑Milled, like back‑to‑back losses. I don't like losing to the same person over and or again.
So, yeah, sorry if anybody didn't get that joke.

Q. The whole Invitational thing as a concept, what are the benefits? What you do think of it? Do you think something like this can inspire you to kind of kick start your next season make?
NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah. I mean, but I'm going to keep playing, because the season is not over for me.
But like for sure I'm going to look back on this as like mental. I mean, it's not really going to‑‑ how do I explain it?
Okay, so there is like thoughts and then like things that you can do. So I'm just going to think about it as a thought and not really try to make it affect me that much sort of.
I'm sorry.

Q. You said you don't normally do dress up and heels and everything. Tell us a little bit about the process of picking the dress and those heels.
NAOMI OSAKA: It was my mom. Well, my sister found the dress because she likes looking for stuff and she's great at finding stuff.
It's usually crazy. I was kind of surprised that it was good looking. No, seriously, she though, she's kind of is Harajuku style. It's all over the place.
I mean, I just went with my mom and my sister. They were basically picking what I was going to wear. My mom really likes sparkly stuff so she got sparkly heels. I was like, Okay.
Yep.

Q. My question is: How do you think about with the activity and fun engagement. After the game, before the game, you did give like fans, you played with them. How you think those kind of activities?
NAOMI OSAKA: It's really fun for me because I don't really take things too seriously. I don't know what's wrong with me, but I just can't.
If something is funny on the court I'm just going to start laughing. I can't be like (makes mad face.)
It's just fun when there are a lot of people around just cheering. It's like a game in the end. I know technically it's not a game‑game, but it's a game.
Just fun to be more positive and show like a happy side.

Q. I guess this was the second time you met Venus.
NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah.

Q. Have you had a chance to talk to her? If so, what was that conversation like?
NAOMI OSAKA: I wasn't really talking. I was just kind of creeping her out. I was like Oh, oh.
But like she's really nice. The void that I like left because I wasn't opening my mouth, I was just like that. (Shows sealed lips.)
She was like talk and I was like, Uh‑huh. Yeah, uh‑huh. I don't really remember what we talked about because I was really freaked out.

Q. So then what's your schedule for the rest of the season or whatever you're playing after this tournament?
NAOMI OSAKA: Like this 125k.

Q. Where?
NAOMI OSAKA: Thailand or Taipei, and then two in Japan. Then I think I'm going to take a break or I'm done. Either one.
Yeah.

Q. You won, and through this result how it affect to you for the future? Is it any meaning to you to won this tournament for the future?
NAOMI OSAKA: Well, hopefully they keep the tournament here so I know the surface and stuff. So like when I come back as like an actual player then I'll know. Like I'll be able to know what the surface is and stuff.
Yeah.

Q. How much does it make you want to come back? You can only imagine something before you get there. I think this week you've had a lot of different experiences, the high heels, the coming back from 0‑3 several times. How much does it make you want to come back here and play in the WTA Finals itself?
NAOMI OSAKA: Like this much. (Opens arms wide. ) I really want to come back. I actually haven't really explored Singapore. I was like really tired, so I just slept when I was in the hotel. So I kind of want to look around but I don't really have time.
If I come back, not irresponsibly, but I kind of want to look around. Yeah.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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