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CHINA OPEN

October 5, 2019

Naomi Osaka

Beijing, China

N. OSAKA/B. Andreescu

5-7, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. After the first set, did you change your tactics?
NAOMI OSAKA: I mean, in the second set, I didn't go down 5-1, so that helped a lot. Also I just told myself to not be so negative because I tend to be very critical of myself from the beginning.

I just told myself, She's the player that's playing the most amazing tennis right now. I just have to find a way to, like, problem solve during the match.

Q. Can you share the feeling that was going through your mind during the last game, the challenge, replaying the match point.
NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I mean, I thought that ball was 100% out. Clearly I was wrong. Then I just started shaking (smiling). I was like, Oh, my God, no. I have to do this all over again.

Then I started thinking really bad thoughts, like, If I lose this game, I'm going to think of that challenge for the rest of my life.

Yeah, it worked out in the end. I actually didn't remember that until you just said it. Someone was saying two match points, and I don't remember the match points at all except for the one I won, so...

Q. How did it feel to get the ace for the match right after?
NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, it felt really good. Kind of felt like what I was supposed to do. My serve is one of my weapons. Definitely I feel like I double-faulted quite a lot this match, but maybe that was worth it because she was also being quite aggressive.

I'd rather trade the ace for the double-fault. So it worked out in the end.

Q. Tennis fans were excited about this match. A lot of social media activity. Are you conscious of that, this being a match that's billed as a big match between two reigning Grand Slam champions? You two seemed to have an exchange at the net.
NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I mean, it affected me. It just made me really nervous. I don't know. I feel like in the beginning we were both scoping each other out. She was probably thinking, like, Wow, what is she doing? I'm just, like, hitting so many unforced errors. She's like, Wow, she won two Grand Slams like that?

Yeah, so I feel like that's what was going on in the beginning (laughter).

Yeah, I was just trying to settle in the first set. I could not find the mental line of not being nervous and also being fired up. That was a bit of a struggle. Yeah, for sure I think a lot of people were talking about this match. I think any match that she plays, people are going to talk about, so...

Q. She mentioned she said she was so excited about the prospect of having this long rivalry. How do you see that going in the future?
NAOMI OSAKA: Listen, I don't want to play her any more (laughter). I'm good, one-and-done.

But yeah, I mean, we're both going to be on the tour for a bit. I think it's kind of bound to happen again. I feel like it's interesting. We're both in a way kind of different from each other.

So yeah, I mean, for me, I like seeing the younger players. I really love seeing Coco, Iga, her do well. It gives me a lot of motivation, makes me think like they're younger than me so I should be able to do the things they're accomplishing.

Q. You know the stats, a while since she lost a match. In terms of playing her, what was your sense of her game? Did you get a sense of how you understand what she's done? How did the snap the streak?
NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I mean, for me, of course I've watched her play on TV, but it's so different from actually playing against her. I know that she is incredibly smart. She knows when the rally isn't working out for her, when to change it up and make it difficult for the other person. So just to experience that in person was very frustrating.

But also I think, I don't know, for me, my game plan going in was to just of course be the more aggressive player. I can't be the defensive one. Just trust myself, trust my serve, be aggressively consistent until I have the shot.

Q. If I'm not mistaken, making it to the semifinals makes you a finalist for the Shenzhen Finals. Did you know about that? How do you feel now?
NAOMI OSAKA: Didn't know about that. Gives me déjà vu to last year. Even though I think last year maybe I qualified sooner.

Yeah, honestly you guys, I'm sorry, I'm just so tired right now. I don't know why you guys are still here.

Question about Shenzhen? I don't know. I'm just thinking about my match, which is ironically probably today because it's 12 something. Yeah, just focusing one match at a time.

Q. You talked about being nervous going into this match. What does this win mean for you? It seemed like it meant a lot.
NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I mean, for me, it meant a lot because I kind of feel like people counted me out after the Europe thing. I'm just, like, I still won a slam this year, I won Tokyo. I'm still here.

Yeah, I mean, but there's a sort of beauty to be underrated. It's kind of how I felt going into No. 1. So, like, all the attention is not on you, which is kind of amazing. Maybe I like it better this way.

Yeah, I just felt like playing the hottest player right now sort of -- I don't know. I just feel like I don't want to say refound my game, but I think I'm playing good quality tennis now.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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