Naomi Osaka is into the Australian Open third round (Image: Getty) This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Naomi Osaka has battled her way into the Australian Open third round. But her second-round match ended in controversy, something the Japanese ace isn’t a stranger to.
The four-time Grand Slam winner, who has tasted singles glory in Melbourne on two occasions, had a scrap on her hands in her opening-round tie against Antonia Ruzic but prevailed in three sets. Next was Romanian star Sorana Cirstea and this too ended in a hard-fought three-set victory. But after this match, Cirstea went to shake Osaka’s hand and had some choice words. The 28-year-old’s celebrations upset Cirstea and the pair engaged in a war of words. Osaka called her opponent out after the match and later apologised as she prepares to face Maddison Inglis. Here, Express Sport takes a look at some of her previous disputes.
US Open final tears
One of Osaka’s most infamous altercations came by no fault of her own when she faced Serena Williams in the 2018 US Open final. This would become one of the Japanese player’s crowning days as she lifted her first Grand Slam title in straight sets.
But the match was overshadowed by her iconic opponent Williams taking her anger out on the match’s umpire, Carlos Ramos. Williams believed she had not had the rub of the green in a match that saw her smash a racket and accuse the official of being a thief.
The crowd at Flushing Meadows was mainly in Williams’s corner and booed during the presentation ceremony. Osaka was seen in tears on the podium from the overwhelming hostility and even apologised for winning.
Osaka was in tears after the victory (Image: Getty)French Open media boycott and fine
Three years later, Osaka embarked upon another Grand Slam tilt at the French Open but this one came up much shorter. Days before the tournament began, Osaka announced on social media that she would not be taking on media duties at the event and faced criticism across the board.
Following her first-round victory against Patricia Maria Tig, she skipped her press conference and was issued a whopping £11,000 fine. She was then threatened by not just the organisers of the French Open, but leaders of all four major tournaments.
They told Osaka that she could face further disciplinary action should she continue to skip her obligations, including default disqualification, higher fines and even future suspensions.
The Japanese ace refused to attend press conferences in 2021 (Image: Getty)Grand Slam withdrawal
One day after being fined, Osaka decided that she would withdraw from the competition altogether. For the first time, she revealed that she had been suffering from bouts of depression and experienced anxiety speaking to the media.
Her statement read: “I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris.
“I never wanted to be a distraction. I accept that my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer. The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that.
“I am not a natural public speaker and get huge waves of anxiety before I speak to the world’s media. I get really nervous and find it stressful to always try to engage and give you the best answers I can.
Osaka withdrew from the Grand Slam (Image: Getty)
“So here in Paris I was already feeling vulnerable and anxious so I thought it was better to exercise self-care and skip the press conferences. I announced it pre-emptively because I do feel like the rules are quite outdated in parts and I wanted to highlight that.
“I wrote privately to the tournament apologising and saying that I would be more than happy to speak with them after the tournament as the Slams are intense.Â
“I’m gonna take some time away from the court now, but when the time is right I really want to work with the Tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press and fans.”
Osaka would later withdraw from that year’s Wimbledon on similar grounds, with her team stating that she wished to spend some time with friends and family after the Paris backlash.
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