fly — Naomi Osaka She smiled as she spoke to reporters after losing 7-5, 6-3 to Angelique Kerber in the first round at the Paris Olympics on Saturday night. She was disappointed with the result, but ultimately hoped to return to the dominant player she once was, having won four Grand Slam titles and reached No. 1.
“I think I need to learn how to win again. Maybe it’s something I’ve forgotten,” Osaka said. “I think I need to keep playing against really good players and learn it again.”
She was hoping to do better than she did at the Tokyo Olympics in Japan three years ago. She was expected to be one of the big stars and had the honor of lighting the cauldron at the opening ceremony.
But Osaka lost in the third round and said she felt pressure to perform well in front of her home fans. She was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, and her family moved to the United States when Osaka was 3.
“I felt more pressure in Tokyo,” said Osaka, 26. “Honestly, I think I could have done better today.”
She awkwardly turned her left leg at 4-3 in the second set and said she was given medication to help, but Osaka failed to win any more matches against Kerber.
Osaka said afterward, when asked how her leg felt: “I don’t know. I took some painkillers. I’ll let you know when they wear off. I felt like I was overextended. [it] A little bit. I felt a pinch while playing, but I hope it won’t be too bad since I’m still quite young.”
Kerber, who won silver in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, has announced that she will retire after competing for Germany at this summer’s Olympics.
“It means a lot to win this match against such a great champion like Naomi, especially since this is my last tournament. It shows that I can still beat the best,” Kerber said. “I just tried to enjoy every moment. I’m just looking forward to another dance.”
Osaka has been at the top of the tennis world for years, winning the US Open and Australian Open in 2018 and 2021 respectively, and becoming the highest-paid female athlete in any sport.
It was at the 2021 French Open (which is held at the same venue as the Olympic tennis tournament in Paris) that Osaka first disclosed that she was struggling with anxiety and depression and began taking a series of mental health breaks. She was one of the first high-profile athletes to speak publicly about these topics, and along with fellow Olympians Simone Biles and Michael Phelps, helped make it part of the national conversation.
Osaka left the tour while pregnant, and her daughter was born in July 2023. She returned to Grand Slam action at the Australian Open in January this year, and appeared to be playing her best tennis at the French Open a few months later, pushing eventual winner Igga Swiatek to three sets and holding a match point.
However, clay is not the best fit for Osaka, mainly because it dulls her best shots (serves and forehands), which reduces her impact on her opponents.
“I think my serve could have been a lot better. I felt the same way when I was practicing,” Osaka said. “But I don’t think that’s an excuse for losing.”
Osaka’s strokes were off against Kerber. She finished with 30 unforced errors, almost three times as many as Kerber’s 11. And Osaka broke Kerber just once, losing four of her service games.
Kerber, 36, is not a huge fan of clay tennis, as it is the only major tournament she has not won.
Kerber won the 2016 Australian Open and US Open, and 2018 Wimbledon, beating Serena Williams in both finals. Kerber has never advanced beyond the quarterfinals in Paris.
