![\"Naomi](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Naomi-Osaka-Australian-Open-6691795.jpg\" "\\"Naomi")
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Naomi Osaka apologised after calling out Sorana Cirstea on the court (Image: Channel 9)<\/p>\n
Naomi Osaka has apologised for \u201cdisrespecting\u201d Sorana Cirstea following their second-round match in Melbourne. The two-time former Aussie Open champion beat Cirstea 6-3 4-6 6-2 and was surprised when the Romanian gave her a frosty handshake at the net. Cirstea, who will retire later this season, then complained about Osaka shouting \u201ccome on\u201d in between points to get herself going.<\/p>\n
Immediately after, the former world No. 1 called out her opponent during her on-court interview. \u201cApparently a lot of \u2018come-ons\u2019 that she was angry about, but whatever\u2026\u201d Osaka said. \u201cI think this is her last Australian Open<\/a> so, okay, sorry she’s mad about it.\u201d<\/p>\n But the No. 16 seed in Melbourne has now backtracked on her spicy comments and admitted she wished she had handled the situation better. \u201cWell, if I’m being honest, I’ve never been involved in something like this before, so it’s like I don’t know if we’re supposed to leave it on the court and be like, \u2018Hey, how you doing?\u2019\u201d the Japanese star said in her post-match press conference.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI’m a little confused. I guess that emotions were very high for her. I also want to apologise. I think the first couple things that I said on the court was disrespectful. I don’t like disrespecting people. That’s not what I do.<\/p>\n \u201cSo yeah, I mean, if she wants to talk about it, then yeah. But, like, when I’m pumping myself up, in my head I’m not like, Okay, now I’m going to distract the other person. It’s purely for me, so\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Cirstea had also complained about Osaka\u2019s vocal celebrations in the middle of the third set, but the 16th seed was still taken aback by the tense handshake. \u201cI just thought, I was like, \u2018Huh, that’s interesting\u2019. That was my exact thought in my head,\u201d she recalled.<\/p>\n Osaka also thought the world No. 41 didn\u2019t have a reason to be frustrated with her. She added: \u201cHonestly, no. Like, for me, no one’s ever complained about it before. Also the umpire didn’t tell me, like, I was wrong. The umpire said I was fine. I was like, Okay. That was kind of what I thought. Like, I thought we moved past it, so\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Cirstea](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Cirstea-Osaka-Australian-Open-handshake-6691834.jpg\" "\\"Cirstea")
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