Osaka added that she had already started playing tennis by then (she was five years old in the photo) and, as a result, relished the experience.
Despite having started her tennis journey earlier than most, the 4-time Grand Slam champion disclosed that it felt “weird” now that she had really managed to become a tennis professional.
Naomi Osaka declared that, if she could, she would advise her younger self to keep “trying hard” so that she may one day get where wanted to go.
“Just saying out loud that I’ll take a break and I will come back when I am truly in love with the sport gave me time to reset myself” - Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka also touched upon the brief hiatus she took from the game following the 2021 US Open in her post match interview. As the defending champion, Osaka suffered a shock defeat against Leylah Fernandez in the third round. At a tear-filled press conference afterward, the 24-year-old announced that she was going to take a break from the game and that winning did not make her happy anymore.
The former World No. 1 declared that the break helped her reset herself mentally. As for why she made the announcement publicly, Naomi Osaka remarked that it was important for her to be honest with everyone, and that it helped her think clearly.
The 4-time Grand Slam champion also spoke about her celebrations after winning the US Open the previous year. While she was muted after winning her first two Grand Slam titles, the Japanese star celebrated the Flushing Meadows title by falling emphatically to the ground.
Naomi Osaka admitted that she only did it because she wanted to see why everyone did it.
During the tournament, the World No. 80 also made waves by wearing masks that were embroidered with the names of people who had died in the US due to police brutality.
The 24-year-old did so to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter protest that was going on all over America back then. Looking back, Naomi Osaka was very proud of herself for standing up for her beliefs.
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