ROLAND GARROS

May 23, 2022

Naomi Osaka

Press Conference

A. ANISIMOVA/N. Osaka

7-5, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: A very tough-round opponent. What was your assessment of the match today?

NAOMI OSAKA: I thought I tried really hard, and I just feel like it was a bit unfortunate because I wasn't able to play as many matches leading into this tournament. So there were probably some really bad decisions that I made on certain points, but I think overall I wasn't too bad.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. It's been a year since your withdrawal from this tournament raised a very important issue, mental health among top-level athletes. Do you feel that WTA, ITF tournament organizers have done enough to improve on this specific matter for you guys, or is there more to do?

NAOMI OSAKA: I mean, I feel like there is always more to do. Like you can't progress and then just stop. You know what I'm saying?

There always has to be evolution. But I feel like as of right now, like they are trying their best, and I think it's really nice to see, because sometimes I get surveys and stuff about what would you like more and stuff like that.

Q. How was your Achilles and your left ankle during this match? I saw you squatting and stretching it a bit. How is it holding up? Was there any part of your game where you felt like it was affecting you?

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I mean, I took a painkiller before my match, so I don't know. I still kind of felt it a little, which I'm going to see what happens when it wears off.

I think, like, I kind of prepared myself to feel it, so that wasn't really the wearing part. It was just annoying to me because the last time I played her our serves were really important. And coming into this tournament I didn't serve a lot, because we kind of wanted to wait until last minute to protect my Achilles.

Stretching it felt better. That's why I was doing it often.

Q. I'm sure this is extremely disappointing for you to be out after the first round. What were the difference-makers for you as far as you were concerned as to why it is that Amanda is progressing to the second round? That's my first question to you. My second question to you is, heading into this tournament, you have four Grand Slams, they are all on hard courts. Do you feel less confident on the clay courts here at Roland Garros?

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I think the difference was like for me match play, like I only played two matches on clay this year. I wish I could have played more. Like I stayed in Europe for longer to be able to prepare for this tournament.

So it is a bit disappointing, but I'm happy with like how my attitude was, because the last match that we played in Australia I think I was getting a bit more upset with myself, so I think I progressed in that part.

Your second question... Can you give me like a key word? I'm sorry.

Q. Sure. Your level of confidence heading into...

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah.

Q. Given that your Grand Slams are on hard courts.

NAOMI OSAKA: For me, I don't play a tournament and I'm not confident in myself, if that makes sense. I feel like I'm the type of player that no one really wants to play.

So I can't lie and say I don't look at, like, past results and whatever, but I also think it's like I'm impressed with myself to be able to win four Grand Slams, and I'm still 24. So hopefully I give myself a bit more time and I'm able to play more matches on both of those surfaces, because I didn't grow up on red clay or on grass court.

I also, through the years, haven't played that many matches. I didn't really give myself a chance to. Hopefully I will learn more as I keep playing.

Q. To continue about what you went through last year. We know social media is a big issue about mental health. After a game like that, how do you deal with all the messages on the social media?

NAOMI OSAKA: To be honest, I don't look at my messages. I kind of also filter out things, like, you know how you can filter words and whatever.

Yeah. I try to wait usually like three days or so after a loss, because the way that my Twitter and my Instagram is set up, I can only see verified people. Usually if I lose, I just get a lot of like news that I lost and stuff.

So I tend to try to wait a couple of days before I go back on or just not look at it at all.

Yeah, I think the way I'm kind of handling it is better because I rarely go on Twitter, and Twitter is like the most negative place.

Q. Do you think it's a big issue in tennis?

NAOMI OSAKA: I know growing up it was a big issue for me, because it's like a way to connect with, like, people that are following you and stuff. But then you also get really bad messages after you lose.

I know for like younger players it's really rough, because you kind of take everything to heart. Well, I did, at least. Yeah.

Q. You served some double faults. I was wondering, did you feel your Achilles on your serve, or was it mainly down to the lack of practice, you said? And also before the tournament you said you're wary of how people would react to you here but the crowd was strongly on your side. Did you feel that? How did that feel?

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, honestly I didn't feel, like, my Achilles until the second set, I would say. So in the first set, like, I was totally like fine. I think the serve issue was just down to like playing a really good returner and kind of being a bit shaken by what she could possibly do. So I was trying to maybe go for too much, more than usual.

And also, yeah, I also haven't practiced as much as I wanted to. But, yeah, I was really grateful for the crowd, like I could feel a lot of energy. It was really fun to play there, even though I didn't win.

Q. After Miami you said you wanted to give a proper go at the clay court tennis. Unfortunately it didn't happen. I was wondering what your plans are for grass and if the decision not to award points at Wimbledon will affect your planning for the next few weeks.

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah. I mean, of course I'm sad about like how I did here. I wish I could have done much better.

I don't know. In my head here I was going to do great here and great in Madrid and Rome. I think that's like the fun part about life, there are so many unexpected things. Like, you can't expect everything to be just as you planned it. That kind of tests my character, so I'm going to try to like regroup.

I know that I don't regret anything that I have done. Like, I'm happy that I spent extra weeks in Europe as opposed to what I would normally do. Yeah, I learned a lot here. And I would say like the decision is kind of affecting, like, my mentality going into grass, like I'm not 100% sure if I'm going to go there.

I would love to go just to get some experience on the grass court, but like at the same time, for me, it's kind of like -- I don't want to say pointless, no pun intended (smiling), but I'm the type of player that gets motivated by, like, seeing my ranking go up or like, you know, stuff like that.

So I think the intention was really good, but the execution is kind of all over the place.

Q. Unlucky today. Really tough draw for you. I just wanted to ask you a question about the scheduling today. A lot of the early matches were women playing, and in particular, your match obviously, it was such a blockbuster in Australia. I just wonder how you felt about playing earlier. I know there might have been other factors that went into that decision. But yeah, what are your thoughts around that? Even Iga playing first, as well.

NAOMI OSAKA: I mean, for me, I always know that I'm kind of, what time I'm playing is based on what time it is in Japan. So I always know that I play early here, like Kei always plays quite early here too.

I expected that. I'm a little bit surprised Iga played first, but maybe she also requested it. So, yeah, I'm not sure. I didn't really -- I didn't look at the schedule, first of all, but I also didn't think it was like a woman's thing.

Q. Just coming back to the sort of mental approach to grass and how committed you were to tackling the clay this season, how does grass compare, which is the bigger mountain to climb in your mind, grass or clay?

NAOMI OSAKA: For me, honestly grass, just because I got injured there pretty badly. So it just makes me a bit scared.

Yeah, I feel like you're going to have to like kind of conquer your fears eventually.

So I'm going to kind of see how, like, the decisions turnout is going to be, because I'm sure there will be a little bit of back and forth with the whole point situation. Then I guess I'll make my decision.

Q. What do you think the main challenges are for you on the European leg of the tour, which means you have not always been able to play your best tennis either here at Roland Garros or at Wimbledon?

NAOMI OSAKA: Honestly -- this might be a little bit of a hot take -- but I feel like when I was younger, I didn't really think too much. So like everyone was always telling me I get to the third round. But I got to the third round of everything, you know what I mean? The couple times I played third round in Wimbledon, I played against Venus, and I thought it was like a really great match and I had chances. That's against Venus. The next time I played I played against Kerber. She ended up winning the whole tournament.

So I feel like I just need to keep trying as hard as I can, and hopefully I will get the opportunity that I want. Yeah, just kind of go from there.

As a whole, I feel like I'm going to stop telling myself that I'm bad on these surfaces and instead just keep my head down and keep working really hard, because I think that's what I have been doing this whole year. I can't expect everything to, like, come at once. So hopefully gradually I will have the results that I want.

Q. First of all, since it's last question, let me say we are thanking you for being so nice and come to this press conference and you answer all the questions we asked, and it was nice of you, especially after a loss. My question could be stupid because I'm not sure I have understood everything which has been said before, I'd like to know if you have to play the match of your life on clay or on grass, where would you play it? If you have already answered, don't answer.

NAOMI OSAKA: No one has asked me that question before (smiling). Like match of my life against any person I want, or...

Q. Well, of course it depends on the opponent, but let's say you are obliged to play the match of your life, the most important, your dream match. Would you play it on grass or would you play it on clay? Of course, I know you play everywhere else but if you were obliged to play in one of those two places where would you play, where you think you have more chances to win?

NAOMI OSAKA: For me, it's not necessarily chances to win, but probably Wimbledon just because I grew up watching the grass on Wimbledon more than the clay here.

And also, everyone sort of treats it like the most prestigious tournament. So probably the grass. Yeah.

(Naomi's answers to questions in Japanese.)

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I think for sure like when I play not seeded or just not in the top 10 rankings, the draws are going to definitely be much harder. For me, I kind of acknowledge that, and that kind of pushes me forward, because I know that I don't play as many tournaments as everyone else. I know that, like, when I enter the draw, there is a chance that, you know, I'm going to play players that maybe I wish I don't play, but it's kind of the consequences of my own actions type of thing.

And, yeah, No. 1 is definitely a really high goal for next year, but hopefully by the end of this year, if I keep working hard, I will get closer to where I want to go. I don't know. For me, I'm really happy with myself, because, like, I know the emotions that I left France last year, and I feel really like happy that I was able to play in front of fans and the feeling is much different compared to last year. So I think I'm really glad that I was able to experience that.

Yeah, like for me, I'm not sure why, but like, I feel like if I play Wimbledon without points, it's more like an exhibition. I know this isn't true, right? But my brain just like feels that way. Whenever I think like something is like an exhibition, I just can't go at it 100%.

I didn't even make my decision yet, but I'm leaning more towards not playing given the current circumstances, but, you know, that might change. I do want to like rack up more experience on the grass, and I know that like the Berlin tournament is giving out points, so that would be a really good opportunity for me.

Yeah, I think like if I don't end up playing on grass this year, I really want to go hard on the hard court swing, which is my favorite.

Yeah, I think it all, like, I'm going to have to have some meetings about it.

Yeah, for me, I felt like in all honesty, like her return on the first serve wasn't bothering me as much as the second serve. When I played her in Australia, it actually bothered me more, because the ball would skid. On clay I actually had a bit more time to retrieve it. I would say my first-serve percentage being low wasn't because I was worried about her return, it was just more that I haven't been practicing it as much so my rhythm was like really off.

Yeah, I think for me, I learned a lot this year. Like I played her before in Australia. I felt like I was getting really anxious and nervous and agitated, and for me those are feelings I never want to feel when I'm playing.

After that, the Indian Wells thing, I don't really count it. So in Miami I was just always telling myself to be calm and try my best in every point and just to see where that would take me. It took me to the final.

So I'm just going to keep trying to like hold on to that mentality. Even like in training I'm just going to do like the best that I can. Yeah, hopefully at the end of my career and stuff, people can just be like, You know, she just tried her best every point. Like I'm sure there is going to be 10 million girls that are way more talented than me, but I hope like people can just say, She tried her best and she had fun, and that's what it is.