Naomi Osaka’s 2025 French Open campaign ended in heartbreak and heavy emotion. And the pain of an early defeat was evident as she broke down in tears during her post-match press conference.
While she openly expressed feelings of disappointment and frustration following her first-round loss to Paula Badosa, Osaka’s coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, offered a message of compassion and encouragement.
Naomi Osaka Records Third First-Round Exit at French Open Since Debut
Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, hasn’t had the smoothest road on the clay courts of Roland Garros. This year marked her eighth appearance at the French Open, and her early exit — a 6-7(1), 6-1, 6-4 defeat to the 10th-seeded Badosa — was her third first-round loss since her Paris debut in 2016.
The result was tough to swallow, especially given the immense pressure surrounding the Japanese star as she continues her comeback following maternity leave.
In a candid moment during her post-match press conference, Osaka didn’t hold back. The 27-year-old became visibly emotional as she discussed her performance and her ongoing internal battles. She admitted feeling frustrated and said she hates letting people down, especially her coach, Mouratoglou, who went from coaching Serena Williams to watching her struggle.
“I think as time goes on, I feel like I should be doing better. But also, I kind of talked about this before. Maybe a couple of years ago, or maybe recently, I am not sure, but I hate disappointing people.
“So even with Patrick, I was thinking, he goes from working with like the greatest player ever, to what the f*** is this. You know what I mean? Sorry for cursing, I hope that I don’t get a fine, but…” she said.
Four-time major winner Naomi Osaka said she “hates disappointing people” after she lost to Spain’s Paula Badosa in the first round of the French Open. pic.twitter.com/l4icdS00fc
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 27, 2025
In response, Mouratoglou, a seasoned mentor known for guiding Williams to 10 of her 23 Grand Slam titles, took to Instagram with a powerful message for his current pupil. Instead of dwelling on the defeat, he focused on her effort, character, and long-term potential.
“You can be proud of yourself @naomiosaka,” Mouratoglou wrote. “The efforts you make, the work and the heart you put in it are amazing. Considering all that, I haven’t been able to help bringing you where you deserve to be. But I have no doubt, this will pay off soon.”
Comparing Osaka’s journey to constructing a strong building, he added, “You have built strong foundations but until the building is over, we don’t see the real quality of the edifice. To be continued…”
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Osaka Finds Growth in Paula Badosa Loss, Eyes Progress Ahead
Osaka was asked how the loss to Badosa could help her grow. She said she learns from every match, pointed to progress like winning the tiebreak, and hopes to apply those lessons next time.
“I hope you can tell me that. I think, I’m not sure. I feel like I learn little things from each match. I think I lost the tiebreaker in Rome, and I didn’t lose the tiebreaker here. So, I mean, I am conscious of things when I’m playing, so maybe the next match I play, I’ll learn little things from today,” she said.
