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U.S. OPEN

September 3, 2018

Naomi Osaka

New York, NY, USA

N. OSAKA/A. Sabalenka

6-3, 2-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Are you aware the history you and Kei made today?
NAOMI OSAKA: No.

Q. For the first time since 1995, a Japanese woman and man have made the quarterfinals of a major.
NAOMI OSAKA: Okay.

Q. What does it mean to you?
NAOMI OSAKA: No, I mean, like, seeing Kei do really well in Wimbledon, that really inspired me. I always thought if I can keep up with him, that would be really cool.

So, yeah, I'm glad I was able to be a part of something like that today.

Q. You said on court you wouldn't forgive yourself if you lost this match. Could you elaborate on that. Why?
NAOMI OSAKA: Mainly because I felt like I had a lot of chances to break her in the third set, then she would serve these really amazing serves. Like a part of me knew it was coming, but at the same time I was always very unprepared.

Yeah, I'm just real glad I was able to win in the end. I don't know. I was just thinking a little bit negatively of how I would feel if I lost or something.

Q. You were very emotional when you did win. Looked like you were crying. Couldn't tell if it was crying or sweating. Why were you so emotional?
NAOMI OSAKA: I think it's mainly because I've had, like, there's people that call it a bad memory here. Every time I play a Grand Slam, people ask me am I going to go farther than the third round. Then in Australia I went to the fourth round, then people were like, Are you going to go farther than that or is that where you're going to stop?

I don't know, I've always dreamed of playing here and going to the quarterfinals and further. So I'm just glad I could do one of my goals.

Q. What does Serena Williams' career mean to the sport in your estimation, what does it mean to you?
NAOMI OSAKA: Well, for me it's like no secret that Serena is my favorite. I've watched all of her matches in the US Open this year. I'm just really grateful that she's playing again. I'm grateful that I got the opportunity to play her in Miami. I hope I can play her here. That would kind of mean we have to meet in the finals.

Yeah, I think she's really awesome and she's really good for the sport.

Q. You've never played Sabalenka prior to today. What was your game plan for this matchup?
NAOMI OSAKA: Well, basically I knew she hits really hard, and she has a good serve. She would attack my second serve. That's basically all I thought about. I was just trying to weather the storm. If I had chances, try to do something with the ball.

Other than that, tried to play as consistent as I can.

Q. The juniors are playing let serves now. Your opponent had a couple big serves that were reversed on lets in the last game. How would you feel if that change was made on the pro tour?
NAOMI OSAKA: Well, we played let serves in Hopman Cup, too. For me, it was very strange because I was so used to not playing the lets that my brain couldn't recognize the fact that I had to play the lets.

I think if that were to happen, it would be very strange. But I don't know, I feel kind of bad for the juniors that have to do that.

Q. You had your matchup with Madison Keys two years ago. How much better do you feel you've gotten since that matchup at this tournament two years ago?
NAOMI OSAKA: I don't know. You tell me.

I mean, for once in my life, I actually think that I was the player with more experience, which is very odd for me to say. But I know that she just sort of recently started coming onto, like, the Grand Slams and stuff.

I don't know, I feel like there were moments that I kind of knew what to do. Maybe since she's so young, she was, like, a little bit hesitant (laughter).

So yeah, I mean, I feel like I learned a lot the match I played here two years ago, which people keep bringing up. Yeah, I mean, I'm grateful that I had that experience.

Q. You were down a break, had Love-40, couldn't break, Love-30, couldn't break. What is the swirl of thoughts and emotions going through your mind throughout that third set? Looked like after you were broken early, it was done.
NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, for me I was just thinking to make it as competitive as possible, and hopefully she'll feel a little bit of pressure, and I'm able to break back. I'm really glad that's what I was able to do.

And, yeah, basically just to keep fighting for everything. I'm just really glad the crowd was so nice to me today.

Q. All the answers you gave, they were all very short. I would like to know when you are at home with your friends, you talk a lot, have a lot of smiles, fun, jokes and things like that, or you're always like that?
NAOMI OSAKA: What friends (laughter)?

Oh, my God, I literally only have, like, one friend that I'm actually completely, like, myself with. I feel bad for her sometimes, so...

And then the other person is my sister. I don't really count that as a friend.

But yeah, I mean, I guess I tell jokes a lot, but I'm not really that sure because sometimes they don't laugh and they just stare at me like I said something insulting.

Yeah, I hope this was a long answer for you (smiling).

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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