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U.S. OPEN

August 30, 2018

Naomi Osaka

New York, NY, USA

N. OSAKA/J. Glushko

6-2, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You made pretty quick work of your first two opponents, particularly today. Just talk about the way you're playing right now. Are you very content with the way you're playing?
NAOMI OSAKA: I mean, yeah. I feel like I played better today than I played yesterday. I think my service percentage maybe was higher today. I didn't check it.

For sure, I feel like I'm improving, like, as the matches go on. Like, I hope I see myself improve on the next match.

Q. You have Sasnovich in your next round. What do you know about her? What do you see in that matchup?
NAOMI OSAKA: Well, I have played her once in Toray, I think, two years ago. I remember she was playing really well, and I managed to win that match in the end, though.

Yeah, I don't really know too much about her. I heard that she's funny off court (smiling). Yeah, but other than that, I don't think we know too much about each other.

Q. As far as the tremendous crowd support you receive each match here in New York as a native New Yorker, a Floridian and a Japanese citizen, can you just discuss that very briefly.
NAOMI OSAKA: I think everyone knows this by now. Like, I grew up in New York until I was eight or nine, and then I moved to Florida.

Q. But as far as the crowds here in the United States, do you feel that you get more support here than anywhere else in the world?
NAOMI OSAKA: No (smiling). I don't know. I feel like there were people cheering for her, too. I don't really pay too much attention to it, so I don't really know how to answer your question.

Q. What kinds of improvements have you seen in your game since Sascha has come on board?
NAOMI OSAKA: I would say patience. I feel like I'm slowly learning when to pull the trigger on my shots. Before I feel like I felt the need to hit every ball almost.

So now I'm just learning how to relax and construct the point.

Q. How do you train for the heat? Do you have a particular routine that you use that's different than what you would ordinarily do?
NAOMI OSAKA: No, not really. I mean, I trained in Florida, so I'm quite used to this heat. I'm not really sure what other people do, but for me, it's kind of natural to play in hot weather.

Q. What's your favorite cold drink?
NAOMI OSAKA: Wait, what?

Q. What's your favorite cold drink?
NAOMI OSAKA: Oh, cold drink. Green tea or Oolong tea, I guess.

Q. So the other day you told us that you get in fights with yourself. I think everyone does that. Can you talk about that. Is it on court, off court? Does the angry part of you get the best of the patient part of you? How does that work?
NAOMI OSAKA: I would say it's, like -- okay, for example, it happened not this match, the match before. She hit a second serve, right? And in my mind, right before she hits the second serve, I'm thinking, Do not hit this down the line. Don't go for it, right?

And then there is another part of me that's, like, But if I hit this down the line, there is a 50/50 chance it will be a winner and you could win the point easy. And then when she's serving the ball, it's like ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, and I'm arguing with myself. Do it, don't do it, do it, don't do it. And then the ball comes and I hit it down the line and it goes in the net. I'm, like, Why did I do that?

Yeah, that basically happens a lot.

Q. Is it more fun to take chances and go for it in the moment or more fun to just play it cool and safe and down the middle?
NAOMI OSAKA: You win more if you play safe (smiling). I would say it's fun to take the chances when you're feeling good, like, when you know it's not 50/50, more like 70/30. So I sort of have to hold myself back on the days I don't feel good. That's a little bit hard for me.

But I think I'm doing better on that aspect.

Q. How have you been spending your off days this week? It's been pretty hot. Maybe not too much outdoor activity. How have you been hanging out in New York?
NAOMI OSAKA: The first two days, off days I think I had, I went outside to Fifth Avenue. I didn't really buy anything. I was walking around and going into stores and stuff. But other than that, we have just sort of been staying inside, and I have been watching all the night matches. That's sort of how I spend my time.

Q. Is there anything in particular you like window shopping for?
NAOMI OSAKA: Clothes, I guess.

Q. Which night matches have you found the most exciting so far?
NAOMI OSAKA: I mean, I watched both of Serena's matches. For me, the most exciting was probably Federer's, because he played Nishioka. I talk to Nishioka sometimes. I thought that was pretty fun.

Q. Have you seen the movie Crazy Rich Asians yet?
NAOMI OSAKA: Describe it?

Q. It's based off a book. Unless you have seen the movie, I can't describe it.
NAOMI OSAKA: When did it come out?

Q. Very recently. It's an all Asian-American cast.
NAOMI OSAKA: Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were saying 'crazy rotations.'

Q. You have not seen it?
NAOMI OSAKA: No, I haven't seen it. I was planning to maybe if it goes on the airplane.

Q. Does it make you proud of, like, your Asian heritage to see an all-Asian cast in Hollywood like that?
NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I think it's really cool. I know that there hasn't -- like, other than Lucy Liu, there is not a famous Asian lady, if you know what I mean. So I think it's really cool that they're casting Asian people now for Asian roles.

Yeah, I know that there is a live action Moulin coming out, so I'm excited to see that, too.

Q. You revealed to us what your favorite cold drink is, so we now need to know your favorite hot drink.
NAOMI OSAKA: Does that mean something?

Q. Oh, it has profound meaning.
NAOMI OSAKA: Can someone describe it to me. My favorite hot drink, green tea.

Q. I know you spend a lot of time online. Any memes or something you have been obsessed with or still the same?
NAOMI OSAKA: No, it always changes. The Internet always changes memes. I'm sorry.

Q. Nothing new?
NAOMI OSAKA: So Nicki Minaj.

Q. To Freedom?
NAOMI OSAKA: To Freedom. I'm sorry. That's too funny to me.

Q. Do you have a favorite one of the different videos?
NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, like -- I don't know. Like, people just use, like, someone running, and then, to Freedom. Everyone that doesn't know what this means, it's, like, what are we talking about?

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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