US OPEN

August 29, 2024

Naomi Osaka

Press Conference

K. MUCHOVA/N. Osaka

6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did it feel to be back at Arthur Ashe Stadium tonight?

NAOMI OSAKA: It was really fun. I felt -- I don't know -- like very grateful that there were so many people cheering. Yeah, I missed it a lot.

Q. It felt like the margins were very slim today. What do you think made the difference?

NAOMI OSAKA: Honestly, I also felt the same way. I think for me this match was just so different from my match with Ostapenko. So I felt like, you know, I had to keep fighting. I didn't feel like I was playing as perfectly as before, but I don't think you can play perfectly every match.

I'm not too sure. I think during the pressure moments I got nervous, and I don't know if I just have to keep playing more matches and get used to that feeling, especially on a really big stage.

Honestly, if I get past the disappointment, I feel pretty proud of myself to have gotten that many opportunities while still feeling like I could have played much better, so...

Q. It was obvious that US Open was a tournament you wanted to play the most, but out of all of the four Grand Slams, which one would you actually enjoy playing?

NAOMI OSAKA: Honestly I enjoyed them all. I think this year for me has been a learning year. I put a lot of energy and effort into all the tournaments that I played.

Australian Open was so fast, so I probably forgot that one. Yeah, I enjoyed learning how to enjoy the French Open. I haven't been to Wimbledon in years, so it was nice to go back there.

Obviously the US Open is very special to me, so I enjoyed it here too, yeah.

Q. The work that you've done throughout the year and then now having the US Open kind of be done, I'm just curious, going forward do you envision that this is a pattern in terms of the schedule that you have played that you will have next year, or will there be a reassessment of pulling back? What has kind of putting yourself out there all the time kind of built within you this year?

NAOMI OSAKA: I don't know. Honestly I feel like I'm coming back from pregnancy, but also it wasn't like in 2022 I was like the best version of myself. So in some way I had to catch up to that, and then also I'm trying to pass it at the same time.

I don't know. It's been a little difficult because obviously I can only gauge how I'm doing by results. Like, I feel faster. I feel better, but I lost in the second round. So it's a little rough.

But, also, it's been fun playing a lot of tournaments. It's been a commitment for sure, but I've been able to go to different cities that I've never been to. I really enjoyed Doha. I haven't been there, so -- well, I have been there, but I don't know, it's been nice to go there.

Yeah, it's a little rough because I do take these losses really personally. It's like a dramatic word, but I feel like my heart dies every time I lose. It sucks a lot, but I've been trying to be more mature and learn and talk more about them.

Q. I just wanted to ask you what you made of Karolina's performance and how good it is to have had back and fit on the tour?

NAOMI OSAKA: I remember playing her back in my day. She's always a really good player. She's very athletic. She has a lot of variety.

I enjoy watching her play and also playing her even though sometimes it doesn't go my way. I think she's a great player. The Czechs make some really talented players, so it's very interesting.

Honestly I watched her play Coco last year, and I completely forgot that she was like -- not defending, but she was in the semis last year until I heard her doing her interview behind me when we were about to walk on. I was, like, Oh, yeah. So that was like a completely pointless comment, but anyways (laughing). Sorry.

(Naomi answers to questions in Japanese.)

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I mean, obviously I've been a lot more negative after matches, but I really feel like -- I don't know. I feel like I'm working way harder than I've ever worked in my life, so it needs to turn into something. Well, it doesn't need to, but I think it will.

For me I just -- I don't know. I appreciate the game. I just really want to try my best.

And how I feel after this tournament? Really disappointed, but I'm trying to take I guess the flowers from everything. I feel like, I don't know, it's kind of ironic that even though I haven't, like, got into a final, still in my brain I think that I can win these tournaments.

I feel like eventually it will all piece itself together. It might not be on the timeline that I want it to be, but I think it will come eventually, so...

Yeah, I am planning to play both of them. I'm really excited to go to Japan. I played BJK, and that was really fun for me. So just to go back and play in Tokyo and Osaka. Obviously the last time I was in Osaka, it was the Toray Tournament. So, yeah, I'm really excited.

You know, okay -- never mind. You know what, no, I'm going to say it. I think -- no, I'm going to get canceled.

No, I just like -- you know when you go to different countries, and then -- it's just the Japanese audience is so polite. I want us to be more loud. You know? Like the BJK crowd was so loud. It was really fun, and I hope that they can be that loud during Toray and Osaka too.

I hope I don't get canceled (laughing).