The night that should have been a routine preparation turned into an unexpected adventure for Naomi Osaka. Just hours before her opening match at the 2025 National Bank Open in Montreal, the four-time Grand Slam champion found herself evacuating her hotel at midnight, fire trucks flashing outside her window.
Most players would let that kind of disruption derail their focus. Osaka? She turned it into Instagram content and then dominated her first-round opponent the next day.
How Did Naomi Osaka Handle the Late-Night Hotel Evacuation?
Osaka’s stay in Montreal took an intense turn just hours before she was scheduled to open her campaign against Canadian Wild Card Ariana Arseneault. The 27-year-old had to evacuate her hotel late at night due to a fire alarm, a situation that could have rattled any player’s pre-match routine.
Taking to Instagram the night before her match, Osaka shared a picture of a fire truck parked outside her hotel. Her caption captured the surreal nature of the situation: “it’s the night before your match and the fire alarm tells you to evacuate so you grab your passport and go down 12 flights of stairs lol.”
However, Osaka managed to stay composed on court the following day. She delivered a solid 6-4, 6-2 victory against Arseneault to move into the second round, showing no signs that the previous night’s disruption had affected her preparation.
Naomi Osaka after her win over Arseneault in her first Montreal appearance since 2018:
“I haven’t been here since I was a teenager. A long time ago. It’s really nice to be back. Thank you guys for having me.” ❤️ pic.twitter.com/fFTMhyJHXZ
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 28, 2025
Next up for Osaka is a second-round showdown against 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova. The two are tied 2-2 in their previous head-to-head meetings on the WTA Tour, setting up an intriguing battle between players who know each other’s games well. The winner is set to face either Renata Zarazúa or 22nd seed Jelena Ostapenko in the third round.
Why Did Osaka End Her Partnership With Coach Patrick Mouratoglou?
Beyond the on-court drama, Osaka has officially parted ways with renowned tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou, ending their 10-month collaboration. The announcement came just days after her second-round exit at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, where she fell in straight sets to Emma Raducanu.
Osaka announced the split in a heartfelt Instagram story, expressing gratitude for Mouratoglou’s support. “Merci Patrick ❤️ it was such a great experience learning from you,” she wrote. “Wishing you nothing but the best. You are one of the coolest people I’ve ever met and I’m sure I’ll see you around 🙏🏽.”
Their partnership began in September 2024, following Osaka’s split with longtime coach Wim Fissette after the US Open. They debuted at the China Open in Beijing, where Osaka reached the fourth round, marking the beginning of what would prove to be a productive but ultimately brief collaboration.
Under Mouratoglou’s guidance, the Japanese tennis star reached the final of the ASB Classic in Auckland and won her first clay-court title at the WTA 125 event in Saint-Malo. She also made the fourth round in Miami and Rome, and posted third-round finishes at both the 2025 Australian Open and Wimbledon. Despite these solid results, both player and coach decided it was time to move in different directions.
