Last Updated on November 5, 2021
Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka commented on her victory at the US Open.
“In the first game I was very worried, so I moved frankly badly. I didn’t expect a hundred percent game from myself, but at least 70% of my opportunities to show my hopes. I closed down and did not fight at all. In the second set I almost immediately began to concede the score, but in the end, it helped me. I thought it was necessary to stay positive, not to lose 1/6, 0/6 and try to impose at least some struggle.
I think that two years ago I would probably give up because of the lost game and break of my opponent. However, all matches which I played during this period, have formed me as the person and have forced me to grow up. Especially all those difficult matches I played in this tournament. So now I am really a more perfect tennis player. I think I have a better understanding of what I am doing.
I don’t think I will remember a similar meeting. In the first set, I thought Victoria played great. There was a feeling that there was nothing I could do. In the second one I was just trying to fight for every point. The game was very important and I had a break in the third game. I’m glad that I managed to do it in the beginning, otherwise it would have been much harder later.
I came here for two tournaments and was grateful that I have the opportunity to play at all. I read that there was an option to cancel the competition. But I came without any hesitation because I wanted to fight.
I realized a simple thing: in every match, I will have a chance, and it depends only on me whether I can use it. This week I showed very good tennis and I can be proud of it. Off-court tension has increased. There were several episodes when I was very nervous. Being in the bubble, you can’t go beyond it. Sometimes it was a little sad because of it.
But it seems to me that it is very important to stay mentally strong. For me, it’s a step forward because I always wanted to be such a player. I don’t think it will be another Naomi. I just think I can become better, learn from my failures. I learned a lot during the fights I had at the US Open,” the tournament’s press office quoted Osaka as saying.
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