© Getty Photographs Sport – Clive Brunskill
Naomi Osaka has made it completely clear that her tennis return is pushed by the dedication to win extra Grand Slams but in addition provides that for now she considers success simply competing effectively and doing her very best each time she is enjoying.
When Osaka prematurely ended her 2022 season in September of that 12 months, there have been issues about the place the Japanese’s profession was going contemplating that she wasn’t enjoying a lot on the time and that she was struggling along with her motivation. After Osaka introduced her being pregnant in 2023 January and it turned clear that she would additionally not play any event final 12 months, many questioned how that may impression the Japanese’s mindset.
However being away from tennis for an prolonged interval truly did wonders for four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, who regained her motivation and fervour for the sport throughout her 16-month break.
Whereas Osaka has main post-pregnancy targets, she is simply 5-5 since returning and hasn’t gone previous the quarterfinal stage. On Monday, Osaka – now ranked at No. 287 on the planet – misplaced to Elise Mertens 5-7 4-6 within the Indian Wells third spherical.
Later in her press convention, Osaka was requested what could be a definition of success for her now.
“Actually, I am probably not chasing the No. 1 spot proper now. Like, that is such a, if I may get there in, like, three years or, I do not even know what is going on to occur in that point, however that was by no means actually the rationale I got here again,” Osaka stated.
“I needed to win extra slams. That is why I got here again. However I believe I decide success proper now simply by the hassle that I put in, and I really feel like at the moment I do not suppose I performed effectively in any respect, however I attempted each level… I can stroll off the court docket figuring out that, though I am unhappy in regards to the loss, I do know that I attempted each potential technique to get again within the match. I suppose that is how I decide success proper now.”
Osaka on chasing Grand Slams at this stage of her profession
When Osaka turned a Grand Slam champion on the 2018 US Open, she was simply 20. Within the subsequent three and a half years, Osaka received three extra Grand Slams – her fourth Slam win on the 2021 Australian Open got here simply three months after her twenty third birthday.
Osaka, now 26 years previous, admits that there’s a totally different feeling to chasing Grand Slams now in comparison with earlier in her profession.
“I really feel like it’s utterly totally different, like, as a result of you realize that you have completed it, so that you’re desperately attempting to do it once more. I believe once I was youthful and I have never, like, achieved, I suppose, something, it was at all times, like, a marvel or a risk, and I wasn’t too onerous on myself, as a result of I used to be at all times simply reaching the third spherical in slams anyhow (smiling),” Osaka defined.
“Yeah, it’s fairly totally different from now, as a result of I really feel like I ought to be capable to get to that degree. Clearly — effectively, not clearly, however I really feel like I’ve completed it as soon as earlier than, so I ought to be capable to do it once more.”
Osaka ‘didn’t know’ she may face Coco Gauff
Had Osaka defeated Mertens and clinched three consecutive wins for the primary time since beginning her post-pregnancy comeback, she would have arrange an Indian Wells round-of-16 assembly in opposition to 2023 US Open champion Gauff.
After third-seeded Gauff defeated Lucia Bronzetti earlier on Monday, many had been rooting for Osaka to get the job completed and clinch a Gauff assembly. However Osaka did not handle to beat Mertens, and after shedding to the Belgian, she supplied a bit shocking reply when requested if figuring out she may face Gauff subsequent impacted her.
“Effectively, I did not know that, so no,” Osaka stated.
“Yeah. Wow, that is a shock. It was truthfully, although, you understand how, like, the underside half, the highest half, everybody performs. I used to be, like, oh, it could be cool to play Sabalenka, however I do not ever have a look at the draw. So no, I wasn’t paying consideration. I used to be simply attempting to deal with the match at the moment.”
Regardless of Osaka’s Indian Wells run ending a bit sooner than she would have beloved, it was nonetheless and promising event for the Japanese.
Now, the previous world No. 1 will flip her deal with the upcoming WTA 1000 event in Miami, which begins on March nineteenth. In 2022, the Japanese made her first Miami remaining – by which she was bounced in straight units by Iga Swiatek.
Osaka hasn’t made any finals since and it is going to be fascinating to see how she does in her Miami return this 12 months.
