Last Updated on January 21, 2019
Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka commented on reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
– I am very glad to reach the quarter-finals and partly feel relieved, because, apart from New York, I haven’t yet been in the quarter-finals of any Slam. That was my goal, and I want to keep this attitude for the next match. Today was a very tense game. I always find it difficult with her, because we have such different styles. Hope to watch this interesting. In the first set I was very nervous – and at the end of the third too. But I work to be able to accept and overcome situations when everything goes not in my opinion. It’s difficult for me – usually I start whining. Trying to fix it, because it is a big problem.
– This year you have already won more matches in which you lost the first set than in the entire past. Why?
– I think it’s all about faith in yourself. I try to believe more in myself. Already in the first week in Brisbane, I had this: I lost the first set, but I still managed to win. So experience also matters.
– She had a fantastic first set. What did you think about the transition before the second one? How did you plan to change the course of the game?
– I thought: I lost the set again. But then, leaving this chagrin behind, I collected my thoughts and prepared to do everything in my power to play better. And even if I lost, I still wanted to fight in every hand. To this I was configured in the transition.
“There are more cameras on this tournament than on others.” Do you think that they can watch you at any moment in the corridor?
“Now that you asked, I’ll be thinking about it all the time.” I thought the camera is only where we are going to court, so thank you for the question. I will not do anything wrong.
– In an interview on the court, you said that in Melbourne no one would recognize you, does not fit for selfies. And how was it doing in Japan when you were there in the off season?
“Well, there I didn’t go especially on the streets.” Only from the car and into the car. If it came out, it was only at night and in a wig. I do not know, I just really wanted to wear a wig. Fun for fun.
– Where did you get the wig?
– At the sister. It was her idea at all: when I want to take a walk, wear a wig and dark glasses. Personally, I think that this particular need was not. I don’t think that people on the street are peering at passersby. But I understand that with my skin color I stand out from the crowd in Japan, but I still think that they would pay attention to me, just walk down the street with a racket in my hands. Otherwise, I think no one would have noticed me.
