NEW DELHI: After returning to the circuit following a maternity leave,
Naomi Osaka
calls 2024 her "learning year." The former world number one is attempting to develop better coping mechanisms for the difficulties she will inevitably face after receiving a crash course in early
Grand Slam exits
.
Osaka has won four major championships, but this year, after losing in the first round of the Australian Open, the 26-year-old Japanese player's performance at Flushing Meadows, Wimbledon, and
Roland Garros
was as good as it got.
She was unable to handle
Karolina Muchova
's excellent serve-and-volley tennis on Thursday, losing 6-3 7-6(5), as per Reuters.
"It's a little rough because I do take these losses really personally. It's like a dramatic word, but I feel like my heart dies every time I lose," she said.
"I've been trying to be more mature and learn and talk more about them."
As she openly battled the pressure to perform,
Osaka
has been a champion for mental health in sports. In Flushing, she told media in 2021 that she no longer felt joy when she won, only relief.
She claims to have gained new insight, but after rejoining the tour in January after a 15-month break, she has packed her schedule and is now dealing with regular setbacks.
"It's been a little difficult because obviously I can only gauge how I'm doing by results. Like, I feel faster. I feel better, but I lost in the second round. So it's a little rough," she told reporters.
"But, also, it's been fun playing a lot of tournaments. It's been a commitment for sure, but I've been able to go to different cities that I've never been to."
She was defeated in straight sets by 10th seed
Jelena Ostapenko
in the first round of qualifying in New York, although she showed flashes of her talent in Cincinnati.
"This year for me has been a learning year. I put a lot of energy and effort into all the tournaments that I played," she said. "Obviously the
US Open
is very special to me."
English (US) ·