US OPEN

September 3, 2021

Naomi Osaka

Press Conference

L. FERNANDEZ/N. Osaka

5-7, 7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: If you could, just your thoughts on the match.

NAOMI OSAKA: Uhm, thoughts on the match? I thought, hmm, I didn't play that well. Like I didn't move that well at all. It's kind of to be expected sometimes.

Yeah, I thought I served well, though, so...

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You've had trouble this summer especially against lefties. Did you find that tricky in her game, reading her serve? Have you noticed that pattern in some of your losses recently?

NAOMI OSAKA: I honestly didn't really find it that troubling like when we were in the groundstrokes. But I can't even tell you how it feels to return it because I don't think I could have returned a ball against a righty today either. I'm pretty sure my return stats were really horrendous.

It wasn't like she was serving bombs, so I'm not really sure what to say. But I do think her ad side serve was nice.

Q. We know you haven't had a lot of chance to prepare for the US Open. Do you think the second round walkover worked to your advantage or disadvantage? Overall do you feel this was a good experience, you've taken some steps?

NAOMI OSAKA: I mean, I think I would have preferred to play a match. I've never had a walkover in a Grand Slam, so that was definitely a really weird feeling.

And I'm honestly not sure if I feel like I've taken a step today or this tournament. I feel like I'm not really sure what I can say about how I played just now.

Q. Usually you're very composed. Tonight there were racquets thrown, shows of emotion. What do you think that was coming from?

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I'm really sorry about that. I'm not really sure why. Like, I felt like I was pretty -- I was telling myself to be calm, but I feel like maybe there was a boiling point.

Like normally I feel like I like challenges. But recently I feel very anxious when things don't go my way, and I feel like you can feel that. I'm not really sure why it happens the way it happens now.

But, yeah, it's basically why. You could kind of see that. I was kind of like a little kid.

Q. Did you feel maybe her serve you were having trouble reading or the situation? Was it something completely internal and not based in that?

NAOMI OSAKA: I don't think it was her serve because I've been able to return pretty well against people that served better. I don't think it's the occasion because I've been in this situation before.

I know that -- I guess we're all dealing with some stuff, but I know that I'm dealing with some stuff, so...

(Naomi's answers to questions in Japanese.)

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I mean, definitely I would love to carry on that mindset. Hmm... I'm going to say what we said, I think, like, in the hallway. How do I go around saying this? I feel like for me recently, like, when I win I don't feel happy. I feel more like a relief. And then when I lose, I feel very sad. I don't think that's normal. I didn't really want to cry, but basically I feel like... (Tearing up.)

THE MODERATOR: Gentlemen, we're done.

NAOMI OSAKA: I kind of want to finish this. I'm sorry.

THE MODERATOR: Up to you.

NAOMI OSAKA: Basically I feel like -- okay. Hmm, this is very hard to articulate. Basically I feel like I'm kind of at this point where I'm trying to figure out what I want to do, and I honestly don't know when I'm going to play my next tennis match (tearing up). Sorry.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, everyone.

NAOMI OSAKA: Okay, yeah. I think I'm going to take a break from playing for a while.