An emotional Naomi Osaka said she was raised ‘not having fear’ after narrowly losing to world No.1 Iga Swiatek in the second round of the French Open. 

The four-time Grand Slam champion led the top seed 5-2 in the decider and then had a match point opportunity but ended up losing the marathon match 7-6(1), 1-6, 7-5, in exactly three hours. Osaka illustrated glimpses of her best tennis in what was the clearest sign yet that she is nearing her way back to top form following the birth of her first child. There were plenty of positives for the former world No.1, who admitted she cried shortly after leaving the court. 

“I cried when I got off the court but I’m good now,” Osaka told reporters. “I was watching Iga winning this tournament last year when I was pregnant and it was my dream just to play her.
“When I kind of think of it like that, I think I’m doing pretty well. 
“I’m also just trying not to be too hard on myself. I feel like I played her on her better surface. I’m a hard-court kid, so I would love to play her on my surface and see what happens.”

Playing under the roof on Philippe Chatrier, Osaka utilised her power to produce some heavy shots and at times flustered her opponent, who hasn’t lost a match at the tournament since 2021. It was a highly encouraging performance for a player who has struggled on the clay in recent years with her first-ever win over an active top 20 player on the surface not occuring until earlier this month at the Italian Open. 

“I told people I was a little delusional when I was coming back (from maternity leave), but I think for me I kind of see my game as being good against anybody.” She said.
“I also was raised with not having any fear. I think going into a match fearing someone is kind of pointless. I don’tnecessarily think about damaging my opponent, but I’m more focused on what I think I can accomplish. I still feel like I can accomplish a lot.”

The person overseeing her resurgence on the Tour is coach Wim Fissette who has worked with a wide range of top players on the WTA Tour. Also in her team are fitness trainer Florian Zitzelsberger and his wife Simone Elliott, who has been brought in as a movement coach.

“I feel like very aware of my body in ways that I’ve never felt before,” she said of her work with Elliott. 
“That’s also something that I’m fascinated to know what happens if I keep training this way. Hopefully, I’ll get better and better.”

Osaka will now be hoping to continue her surge in form on the grass with Wimbledon starting in just four weeks. So far this season, she has won 12 out of 22 matches with her best run being to the quarter-finals of the Doha Open in February. 

“I feel like I’m playing better because there were specific things I worked on to get better. I also feel like it’s tough because obviously the results aren’t resulting right now,” she reflected.
“I’m growing every tournament. I’m just trying to apply myself.
“I also feel, the last time I played Iga, which was in Miami (2022), I got bageled in one set, so I do think that I’mhopefully playing better.”

Osaka has now played in 25 Grand Slam main draws. Her last win over a top 10 player was against Kiki Bertens at the 2020 Brisbane International. 

Iga Swiatek saved match point to outlast Naomi Osaka 7-6(1) 1-6 7-5 to reach the third round at Roland Garros.

Swiatek overcame an outstanding performance from Osaka as the current world number one defeated the former world number one in a three set battle.

Osaka dominated most of the contest and had match point in the third set but couldn’t hold her nerve in the important moments.

Swiatek will now face either Jana Fett or Marie Bouzkova in the third round.

Naomi Osaka was sensational from the first ball as she hit more than 40 winners in the contest.

Swiatek showed signs of her champions qualities in the opening set as her sensational counter-attacking attributes saw the Pole break for a 2-1 lead.

Despite Swiatek’s aggressiveness, Osaka grew into the match and was confident on return as she broke back for 4-4.

Osaka continued to apply the pressure with her flawless hitting as she created set point in the tenth game.

However Swiatek showed her world class mental qualities to save the set point and eventually dominate the tiebreak to take the opening set.

That was only a consolation for the defending champion as she was outhit in every department in the next two sets.

Osaka’s backhand in particular was a damaging threat as she forced errors from Swiatek’s game, powering to three breaks of serve in the second set.

The final set saw Swiatek create early pressure on return and show signs of her dominant level that has seen her destroy the rest of the field at every turn.

Eight break points were created in the first two return games for Swiatek but the Pole lacked the clinical end product that has seen her be so efficient over the last year.

No such thing was lacking for Osaka though as she saved the break points and broke in the second game to take a 3-0 lead.

Time was running out for Swiatek as she continued to face a barrage of pressure from Osaka.

However Swiatek did what all good champion do and that’s find a way to win as Osaka crumbled under pressure.

The Pole broke back in the ninth game and then broke again after Osaka hit a double fault.

Swiatek closed out a three hour epic to survive another day and reach the third round.

As for Osaka, it’s an encouraging sign that she is at her best level and will continue to cause problems for the rest of the season.

Swiatek will now play Jana Fett or Marie Bouzkova in the third round.

Caroline Garcia has denied there is a problem with her form at Roland Garros after she lost 6-3 6-3 to Sofia Kenin in the second round.

It was yet another disappointing defeat for Caroline Garcia who lost on straight sets on Philippe Chatrier to former finalist Sofia Kenin.

After struggling past Eva Lys in her opening round, Garcia was unable to re-motivate her game as she went out in the second round.

Speaking after the match Garcia admitted she was ‘disappointed’ to have lost and admits she has a complicated relationship with Philippe Chatrier, “I’m disappointed to have lost. I didn’t manage to find my game,” Garcia told French journalists in her press conference.

“She didn’t leave me a lot of margins. I didn’t manage to get the upper hand. I lost sometimes when I had actually gained points to play. This is where I have regrets.

“Well, yes, it’s complicated. It’s true. You have said it well. You have described it well. It’s a large court by size, with a number of fans. There is a lot of seats, a lot of room. When it’s not full, all the lower seats are empty, even though the upper seats are occupied, then you feel that you’re on your own.

“On Lenglen it’s less true, because people are closer to you. Even your own team, you can’t hear them. So it’s quite uncomfortable.”

Today’s defeat was a just one in a series of bad results for Garcia who has now lost in the second round of Roland Garros for the fourth consecutive time.

However in a tense exchange with journalists Garcia refused to acknowledge the bad form and said that everything is fine, “I don’t remember. Who beat me last year? I can’t remember,” Garcia when asked about her results at Roland Garros.

“Yes, everything is fine. You know, all in all, it’s the same. A defeat is a defeat. More or less it’s the same emotions than afterwards. Last year it was not the same situation. There was disappointment after both matches.

“There are times when you say I could have done better here and there, I could have played that ball differently, but then at the end of the match it’s easy to change the world again and think back.

“Well, of course we can have high expectations. I lost the second round last time, as well. It was not better. But then on the French Open, on clay when it’s cold, then it’s difficult to play one’s best tennis.

“It’s not the surface that corresponds and that suits my game. Even if it’s “the” tournament of the year, clay court is not my most suitable surface.”

Garcia will hope that she can continue to work on her clay court game as she will have many Roland Garros campaigns ahead of her.

Next up for Garcia will be the grass court season which is a surface that is more suiting to her surface than clay.