Naomi Osaka admits she doesn’t feel herself on the court during certain matches as she sheds light on her struggles on the Tour.
The four-time Grand Slam champion posted a lengthy statement about her current form after losing in the second round of qualifying at the Cincinnati Open. Osaka suffered a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, loss to world No.65 Ashlyn Krueger on Monday. It was the first time she had played a qualifying event since February 2018.
“My biggest issue currently isn’t losses though, my biggest issue is that I don’t feel like I’m in my body,” Osaka wrote on Instagram.
“It’s a strange feeling, missing balls I shouldn’t miss, hitting balls softer than I remember I used to. I try to tell myself, ‘It’s fine you’re doing great. Just get through this one and keep pushing,’ mentally it’s really draining through.
“Internally, I hear myself screaming, ‘What the hell is happening?!?!’
Osaka returned to competitive tennis at the start of this year after taking time away to give birth to her first child. She has reached the quarter-final stage of tournaments in Rosmalen and Doha, as well as the fourth round of the Italian Open. However, she hasn’t won back-to-back matches at her last three Grand Slam events. Against top 20 players, she has achieved five wins against five losses so far this season.
“I’ve played a handful of matches this year that I felt like I was myself and I know this moment is probably just a small phase from all the new transitions (clay, grass, clay, hard), however the only feeling I could liken how I feel right now to is being post-partum,” the word No.90 explained.
“That scares me because I’ve been playing tennis since I was three, the racket should feel like an extension of my hand.”
The 26-year-old admits she expected to find her footing on the Tour quicker given her past success in the sport.
“This should be as simple as breathing to me, but it’s not,” she continued.
“I genuinely did not give myself grace for that fact until just now.”
Osaka is hoping to get back on track at the US Open which she has won on two previous occasions. It will be her eighth appearance at the Grand Slam, which starts at the end of this month.
