By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday August 29, 2024
New York—Naomi Osaka was unable to hold over her momentum from her first Prime-10 victory in over 4 years (towards Jelena Ostapenko) in spherical one of many US Open, and she or he was knocked out of the second spherical by gifted Czech Karolina Muchova on Thursday night time in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The four-time main season finishes her Grand Slam season with a 3-4 report, and she or he was not shy about admitting that the loss was tough to abdomen, given how a lot work she has put in to make her comeback from maternity depart this season.
“It is just a little tough as a result of I do take these losses actually personally,” she advised reporters after falling to the Czech 6-3, 7-6. “It is like a dramatic phrase, however I really feel like my coronary heart dies each time I lose. It sucks loads, however I have been making an attempt to be extra mature and be taught and speak extra about them.”
Osaka has three set factors within the second set, serving at 5-4, 40-0, however received tight and blew her probability with some uncharacteristically free play.
“I feel throughout the strain moments I received nervous, and I do not know if I simply must maintain enjoying extra matches and get used to that feeling, particularly on a extremely massive stage,” she mentioned. “Actually, if I get previous the frustration, I really feel fairly pleased with myself to have gotten that many alternatives whereas nonetheless feeling like I may have performed significantly better.”
The 26-year-old drops to 17-16 total on the 12 months. She’s taken her rating from outdoors of the Prime 800 all the best way to 85, so issues are headed in the appropriate course.
“Actually I really feel like I am getting back from being pregnant, but additionally it wasn’t like in 2022 I used to be like one of the best model of myself. So not directly I needed to catch as much as that, after which additionally I am making an attempt to move it on the identical time,” she mentioned. I do not know. It has been just a little tough as a result of clearly I can solely gauge how I am doing by outcomes. Like, I really feel sooner. I really feel higher, however I misplaced within the second spherical. So it is just a little tough.”
Osaka says she’s each annoyed that issues are taking longer than she anticipated to return collectively, and hopeful that she’s placing within the work, and getting higher step-by-step.
“Nonetheless in my mind I feel that I can win these tournaments,” she mentioned. “I really feel like finally it can all piece itself collectively. It won’t be on the timeline that I need it to be, however I feel it can come finally.”
