Paula Badosa came from a set down to defeat four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in their first-round clash at the French Open. The defeat appeared to deeply affect the Japanese star, who was visibly emotional and shed tears during her post-match press conference.
While reflecting on her performance post-match, Osaka made an honest statement about her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, while also being strikingly self-critical.
Naomi Osaka Makes Candid Admission About Coach Patrik Mouratoglou After French Open 1R Loss
The first set went to a tiebreak, with Osaka eventually prevailing 7-6 (1). However, the Spaniard made a gritty comeback, winning the next two sets 6-1, 6-4 and booking a spot in the second round of the clay-court slam. Badosa’s six break points and 27 winners proved pivotal in her triumph.
Overcome with sadness, Osaka struggled to hold back tears during her press conference. While addressing a question about her loss, the Japanese expressed the need to perform better over time. However, she candidly reflected on her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, comparin his past stint with a legend and now with her.
Notably, Mouratoglou’s most successful stint was with Serena Williams from 2012 to 2022, during which they won 10 Major titles. The 54-year-old has been working with Osaka since September last year.
“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 fu*k is this. You know what I mean? Sorry for cursing, I hope that I don’t get a fine but…,” she said.
After addressing the question, Osaka briefly left the press conference, upset by the French Open heartbreak. However, she returned and addressed a few more questions.
Osaka, who led 2-0 in the deciding set, hit 54 unforced errors to just 36 winners, ultimately contributing to her defeat. Moreover, the 27-year-old clay-court record against top 10 players now stands at 0-6.
“I’ll Learn Little Things From Today”: Osaka in the Wake of Her French Open Heartbreak
Osaka was later questioned on how the defeat to Badosa could make her stronger. She replied that she always learns from her matches, noting small progress like winning the tiebreak in Paris. She also hoped to use what she learned from playing Badosa in her next match
“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.
Osaka had a somewhat decent lead-up to the French Open, winning the WTA 125 event in Saint-Malo and facing a close fourth-round defeat in Rome.
Moreover, she reached the French Open on the back of an impressive run, winning 8 out of her last 9 matches. Nonetheless, the former World No. 1 will look to excel in the forthcoming grass-court swing.
