Naomi Osaka is unable to build on her first-round performance at the US Open. The crowd favorite fails against last year’s semi-finalist – and is inconsolable afterwards
Public favorite Naomi Osaka has been eliminated in the second round of the US Open. The four-time Grand Slam winner from Japan lost 3:6, 6:7 (5:7) to last year’s semi-finalist Karolina Muchova from the Czech Republic on Thursday evening (local time) and must continue to wait for a place in the last 32 at a major tournament after her return to the tennis tour at the start of the year.
In the first round, Osaka, who also caused a stir in New York with her extravagant outfits with oversized bows, had surprised everyone with a commanding victory against world number ten Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia). The Japanese player, who had become the mother of a daughter the previous year, described her outfit afterwards as her “super suit.”
Osaka after US Open exit: “I got nervous ”
“In the moments when I was under pressure, I got nervous. I just need to play more matches and get used to that feeling, especially on the big stage,” said Osaka: ”This year has been a year of learning for me.”
“It’s difficult because I always take these defeats very personally,” added the 26-year-old. “That’s a dramatic word, but it feels like my heart dies every time I lose.”
However, the two-time tournament winner (2018 and 2020) made many easy mistakes against Muchova at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Osaka missed three set points in the second set before the 2023 French Open finalist held her nerve in the tie-break and converted her second match point to win the match.
