ROLAND GARROS

May 29, 2024

Naomi Osaka

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/N. Osaka

7-6, 1-6, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Naomi, didn't quite go your way today, but what an incredible match between two amazing players. Just give us your thoughts on your performance and just the atmosphere out there today.

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I thought it was a really fun match. Probably the most fun match that I have played so far. It just felt really incredible, the atmosphere, and how fun I guess everyone in the crowd was having too.

Yeah, it was definitely very memorable for me.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Fun to watch.

NAOMI OSAKA: Thank you.

Q. Can you talk us through what's been sort of going through your mind and what you have actually been doing the last half hour since you got off court and how you sort of processed something like that, which must be incredibly emotional to go through.

NAOMI OSAKA: Honestly, it's not the worst. Like, I felt worse, for sure. I cried when I got off the court, but then, you know, for me, I kind of realize I was watching Iga, like, win this tournament last year, and I was pregnant. It was just my dream to, like, be able to play her.

When I kind of think of it like that, I think I'm doing pretty well. And I'm also just trying not to be too hard on myself. I feel like I played her on her better surface. I'm a hard-court kid, so I would love to play her on my surface and see what happens.

Yeah, I also said in Australia that I'm kind of setting myself up for September anyway.

Q. Ons said earlier that she thought that this match should have been the night session today. Wonder what you think about that. If it might have been even cooler to be on that session for such a great match.

NAOMI OSAKA: I'm not really too familiar with the scheduling here. I don't know if the night match is the prime-time match. Nadal usually plays during this time, so I kind of figured that this was the prime time. (Laughter.)

So I don't know. I'm just here for the vibe. So, yeah.

Q. I just wondered, you have talked so much and so openly about trying to suss out the clay and trying various different things and different mindsets. Did it simplify things for you today who the opponent was? Kind of less about what was beneath your feet and more who was down at the other end?

NAOMI OSAKA: Honestly, it's interesting, but when I play really good players, I don't think about them. I think more about myself. Going into this match, first of all, for me, it's really fun. I feel like those are the moments that I practiced for so long anyways.

I was kind of approaching it with how I approached my match against Serena the first time in the US Open. I just wanted to focus on me, and no matter what happened outside of the court I didn't try to put my mind to it.

Q. Do you find that easier to do, to focus on you, if there is someone big down at the other end?

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I feel like I have no choice. So you're probably right.

Q. It felt like you played really well today. You might have a different assessment of it. I wonder if you're able to compare how you hit the ball today compared to maybe before you went away, when you won your Grand Slams. Do you think you're playing close to that level? If not, how close do you think you are? Or do you not even make that comparison?

NAOMI OSAKA: You know, you let me know, because I feel like I'm playing better, but obviously -- why do you shake your head like that (smiling)?

Q. No, I didn't shake it. I was, like, okay. It was a long time ago.

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah. No, I feel like I'm playing better because there were specific things I worked on to get better. I also feel like it's tough, because obviously the results aren't resulting right now.

But I think, like, I'm growing every tournament. I'm just trying to apply myself. I also feel, like, the last time I played Iga, which was obviously in Miami, I got bageled in one set, so I do think that I'm hopefully playing better, yeah.

Q. I know a loss is a loss, but the way you moved out there on clay was outstanding compared to maybe where you were a few weeks ago.

NAOMI OSAKA: Thank you.

Q. I just wonder if you feel it can be a click for you for the rest of the year, and if you're still about to process the difference that a few months have made on that?

NAOMI OSAKA: You know, I feel like that's one of the biggest things that I'm working on, like, the physical portion. It's really tough, like, coming back from pregnancy and just trying to be kind to yourself and kind to your body.

I definitely do feel like I moved pretty well. I hope that I can move better and better from now on.

But, yeah, it's one of the main points that I wanted to work on when I was coming back.

Q. You said a few times and just now that you're being kinder to yourself. In a moment like this, what does that entail?

NAOMI OSAKA: I mean, you know, like, I have my little book, right? In it today I just wrote: I'm proud of you. And I think for me, like, saying that to myself, it gives me a lot of power, because normally -- not normally, but sometimes I curse myself out in my head and it's quite a negative feeling.

Yeah, I would just say I'm proud of the journey. I'm hoping, hopefully it will get more and more positive.

Q. Fabulous match, firstly. This is just an extension of the prior question about your movement. It looked like you have a lot of fun moving. There was a sort of rhythm or something, almost like a dance.

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah (smiling).

Q. Can you talk a little bit about that? Also if the crowd at any time bothered you, because it was really loud, the court.

NAOMI OSAKA: Well, I thought the crowd was really cool, like. For me, I feel like those are the moments I live for. Also, it just makes me feel like the crowd is having fun, and I think at the end of the day that's what I want the most. I want people to be, like, no matter if I won or lost they said, Oh, I watched the match and I had a great time.

For me, I didn't have a problem with the crowd at all. But I'm also used to the New York crowd (smiling). Yeah.

As for the movement, I definitely feel a lot better. I did feel like it was a dance. It's just fun to slide.

I need to figure out, because sometimes while I'm sliding I'm picking whether to slice or hit and I don't change my grip fast enough. Next year I think that will be a big goal for me.

Q. Congratulations on a magnificent match. I read somewhere that you're working with a movement or ballet coach in order to get your movement back. Could you maybe explain how you work, what kind of exercises you do.

NAOMI OSAKA: I can't really say what kind of exercises, because she never really names them. We just do them.

Sometimes, well, like three times we did a ballet class. It's so hard. I respect ballet ballerinas so much.

Yeah, I would say it's very interesting. Feels like a portal into a new world. I feel like very aware of my body in ways that I've never felt before.

That's also something that I'm fascinated to know what happens if I keep training this way. Hopefully, yeah, hopefully I'll get better and better.

Q. When you came back, were you convinced that your game can damage all the best players of the world and the best one like Iga and this match can prove this?

NAOMI OSAKA: I mean, I told people I was a little delusional when I was coming back, but I think for me I kind of see my game as being good against anybody.

I also was raised with not having any fear. I think going into a match fearing someone is kind of pointless. So yeah, I don't necessarily think about damaging my opponent, but I'm more focused on what I think I can accomplish. I still feel like I can accomplish a lot.

Q. Naomi, after your last match, I know it was a different outcome, but you were leading, and then you said you started thinking about if you were going to win your first Grand Slam match after so long. What was going through your mind when you had the lead today?

NAOMI OSAKA: Honestly, I was kind of playing point by point. I had to frequently look at the scoreboard to know what the score was. I was aware of the score when I was serving for it.

I don't, like, looking back, I don't necessarily feel like I regret anything. I do think if I did regret something, it would actually be the first game that she was serving, and I was up 30-Love, and I was debating in my head whether I should return her second serve close or not, and I ended up returning it farther back. That's the only thing I kind of regret.

Other than that, I'm kind of taking it as a process.

Q. You're really committed to clay. You played it for several weeks. You've had this very good performance today. Next, grass. What are your thoughts on playing on grass, committing to that? Is that a goal of yours now?

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I definitely made it a goal of mine to be better on clay and grass when I came back. I definitely need to put in a lot of hours and hopefully play a lot of tournaments. I'm kind of excited for it because I feel like it's definitely a new challenge for me. I haven't played that many grass tournaments.

After this, it's something new to figure out.

Q. I was wondering whether your new role as mother and manager have given you some new powers and abilities to condition yourself for outcomes of matches such as this one?

NAOMI OSAKA: Do you call me a mother manager?

Q. (Question off microphone.)

NAOMI OSAKA: Oh, yeah, that is true, I guess (smiling).

To be honest, everyone asks me a question like this. I'm not really ever sure how to answer it, because I feel like it's something I don't think about, and maybe it's, like, subconscious or something.

I'm aware that as a mom you have to be more patient, you have to put your baby first and all those things. But in a way, I feel like when I'm on the tennis court, I'm a tennis player first. So it's really tough.

But I think when I play, I do find joy in knowing, like, right now Shai is back at home, so it's giving me something, like, to look forward to a lot.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Japanese.

(Naomi's answers to questions in Japanese.)

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, so at 5-3, I mean, I definitely felt like I had a chance, but I think I was playing point by point. Eventually I didn't have that chance anymore. But I kind of think of it more as an opportunity, like, I had the opportunity to -- I'm not even sure if I had a match point. Maybe I did. I did? That sucks. (Laughter.)

But, yeah, I think, like, there's a reason why she's No. 1, and she played certain points really well. For me, while I was playing with her, I was learning too. I mean, it feels bad, but I really think, like, I can grow a lot from this experience.

I mean, I went into the match fully believing that I was going to win. Like, sitting here, it's not the memory I thought I was going to have at the end of the day.

I don't know. There's so many positives for me to take from this. It definitely would have been more positive if I would have won. But I think I'm just going to -- I don't know, I'm still kind of processing at the same time while I'm answering your questions.

But yeah, I feel like for me it was always a question. After I lost in Madrid I remember asking my team if they thought I could ever be a top-5 player again. And granted, I didn't make it to the quarters or the semis here, I feel like I'm kind of on my way back there. For me, that's the biggest positive.

I totally forgot. Great. That's another opportunity to hopefully grow on clay. Yeah, I think honestly just taking all of the things I have learned today. I feel like for me when I was playing Iga today, I felt like I should have been a bit more aggressive at some times. I think I was giving her the balls that she loved to hit down the line on. So I hope I don't play her in the first round of the Olympics. But yeah, I learned a lot on the clay. Hopefully I can apply it to the Olympics.

So today, for me, on my return I purposely stood back a lot. Well, a lot more than it's normal for me. I just really wanted to start the point originally with a lot of, I guess, heaviness so she couldn't do anything. But she did a lot.

But yeah, honestly I felt like this was the type of match where I had to constantly keep evolving. For me, those are the most fun matches. I vividly remember, like, when I used to play Barty it was that way too.

I think there are moments that I could have stepped in a lot more, and I could have done better, but it's all part of the process.