ROLAND GARROS

May 26, 2024

Naomi Osaka

Press Conference

N. OSAKA/L. Bronzetti

6-1, 4-6, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Naomi, congratulations. A very roller-coaster win out there on Chatrier. Can you give us your thoughts on the match and how you were able to turn it around in the third set where she equalized you at 4-All.

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I think for me the match, it really was like a roller coaster. I felt like I was extremely focused in the first set and maybe I let it go a little bit, and then I kind of came back in the third but then I let it go a little bit, and then I just got really tight from there.

I'm really glad I was able to regroup and win and sit here today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. You said before the tournament you had dedicated a lot of time to learning about clay. What did you learn about clay and you down 4-5 in the third?

NAOMI OSAKA: Honestly I don't really think this is specific to clay, but I was kind of telling myself to have good intentions in the way that I think choosing the right balls and kind of being more willing to, I don't want to say lose the point, but knowing that I went for the right ball, and if she hit a winner, then I was okay with that. But I know this is the type of tennis that will kind of give me a lot of progress in the future.

Q. Did you really not know who was on your side of the draw before the tournament, like the other day during that question? I'm assuming you know now what it might look like. What are your thoughts as you look ahead to that?

NAOMI OSAKA: Honestly, I didn't really know, but then after, I was, like, why does everyone keep asking me about this draw? Then I knew that I was in the top half, so I was, like, jokingly, I was, like, Well, it's not like I'm playing Iga. Then everyone got quiet. So I was like, Oh.

But yeah, the next round is the only round I know, so that's all I'm going to focus on.

I'm honestly really excited. I watched her a lot when I was pregnant. And honestly, I think it's an honor to play her in the French Open, because she's won more than once here, for sure. I'm going to, it's like a very big honor and challenge for me.

Q. You mentioned on the court that you felt the nerves I guess at certain points. Can you put a finger on where those nerves came from? And also this is your first Grand Slam win in over two years. Did that have anything to do with that, just getting over that?

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, that was exactly the reason. I was kind of, in my head, thinking like, you know, I didn't win a match in Australia so I'd really love to win one here. Obviously that was wasn't a good train of thought.

Yeah, I kind of focused on it a bit too much instead of trying to play point by point, and I think towards the end I was able to erase that thought from my head.

But I would love to not have to go through that roller coaster again.

Q. Sorry to go back to the thing of not knowing the draw, but I think that's something that you always do. I'm just wondering what your methods are for kind of blocking everything out and how hard is it? Is it ever stressful to, like, not know and be tiptoeing around, trying not to get told the draw?

NAOMI OSAKA: Honestly, I don't feel like I tiptoe around it. It's not stressful for me. I only ever know, like, my next opponent. I don't like thinking too much in the future.

I also feel like, in a way, it's kind of like who am I to even think that I'm going to get there, there, there. So I just really try to focus on one match at a time, and everyone around me knows that I'm like that, so it's not like they really talk about it or anything.

Q. With regards to Iga again and where you are at kind of in your development and your comeback, would you say you go into, if you happen to face her, would you say you go into it with loose, low expectations, maybe not expecting too much, just want to play free and see it as a test to see where you are?

NAOMI OSAKA: Um, in a weird way, I definitely do feel like it's a test to see where I'm at, but I wouldn't say I have low expectations of myself. I'm a person that kind of thinks that I can win every match that I play. That's kind of gotten me this far (smiling).

I would never play a match thinking lowly of myself, no.

Q. Congratulations for today. Looking if it is Iga in the next match, obviously there is going to be a lot of hype and noise around that match. Not about the tennis but about the emotions going into that. How do you think you're going to feel with such a high-profile match so early on here?

NAOMI OSAKA: Honestly, I felt like all the matches that I've played this year are pretty good. So I'm kind of taking it as an experience. I don't really have too many matches on Chatrier, because I'm going to assume we're going to play there.

So taking it as an experience and kind of knowing that I feel like I'm the underdog, and I think I thrive in those situations. So if I do play her, I'd be really excited to.

Q. Congratulations. Very hard-fought. I know your little one is learning how to walk. How is that going these days?

NAOMI OSAKA: It's going great. She's walking more and more. She's taking a lot of steps. It's kind of funny, because she wants to run. So it's almost like her mind's working faster than her legs are, and often I have to catch her because it feels like she's going to straight-out start sprinting. It's really fascinating to watch how fast she's growing and developing.

Q. Congratulations for your victory today. My question is about your daughter, too. How do you manage your time here between your daughter, training session, and matches? How is it for you?

NAOMI OSAKA: I would say in the beginning I found it quite hard, because I felt like I was rushing, because I didn't want to miss any time with her, and I didn't want to miss, for example, if she said her first word or anything.

Yeah, I think I kind of feel like this is my work hours, and then I go back home and it's kind of family time. So I would say for the most part I try to spend all the time that I have off the court with her and just hanging out so she knows that I'm her mom (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Japanese.

(Naomi's answers to questions in Japanese.)

NAOMI OSAKA: I was kind of analyzing that, and I have sort of realized this about myself, but I haven't had situations like this this year, so I think for me it wasn't necessarily nervousness. I know for sure I was nervous in the first set, but I was channeling that energy really well. Like, I was moving my feet a lot and I think I was very focused. But I think I was paying too much attention to the score. Because when I saw it was 6-1, I felt, like, uh, like a lot of relaxation, and then obviously I didn't play well after that.

So for me, I feel like I have to find a balance in managing those two energies, but I was able to do it better at the end of the third set.

You know, it's funny, because I don't want to say younger, but before I came back this time, I would say that I definitely valued Grand Slams a lot more in terms of wins, but actually, now I don't want to lose anywhere in the world. I am really happy to be through the first round, but I can't say, like, the level of happiness or excitement is different from any other tournament. I think for me it's really important to get those wins, so yeah.

But it feels nice to, like, see everybody. There is more people here. I saw Kei, so that was really cool.

Oh, yeah, Shai has watched my matches before, but she watches them on TV. I don't really want to bring her onto site yet. Maybe when she's a little older.

So I write in my notebook, like, affirmations, things that I want to focus on, things that I think I can get better on. I think we started doing that in Rome, because Simone, who I work with, she has a really calm energy and we kind of write together. I found that writing really helps me out because I have a lot of thoughts and I can kind of see them clearly on a page, which is helpful. Yeah, during my match, I definitely write down things that I like to work on and things that I think I could improve.

Yeah, like, say, I'm sitting down, and then on the changeover I'll write, like -- I don't want to say what I write. I mean, it's not going to help anybody here. But, like, say I'd write, I want to stay lower on each ball or I want to improve my serve this way, and stuff like that.