The pair barely exchanged a handshake over the net, with Cirstea glancing in Osaka’s direction briefly and then turning her head away.<\/p>\n
As they walked toward the umpire’s chair, Osaka asked: “What was that for?”<\/p>\n
Cirstea responded directly to the two-time Australian Open winner, apparently upset with Osaka’s efforts to pump herself up during the match.<\/p>\n
Sorana Cirstea, left, and Naomi Osaka briefly exchanged words after Osaka’s second-round Australian Open win.\u00a0EPA\/Lukas Coch<\/p>\n
Osaka turned again and waved to the crowd and, in an on-court TV interview, tried to explain what happened.<\/p>\n
“Apparently a lot of ‘c’mons’ that she was angry about, but whatever,” Osaka said. “I mean, I tried to play well, I tried my best. She’s a great player. I think this was her last Australian Open, so, OK, sorry she was mad about it.”<\/p>\n
Osaka got emotional when asked to clarify why the tensions heightened, saying, “She could have asked me [to stop].”<\/p>\n
“Honestly … no one’s ever complained about it before,” she said. “Also, the umpire didn’t tell me I was wrong. The umpire said I was fine. Like, I thought we moved past it.”<\/p>\n
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She said she was open to talking it over with Cirstea.<\/p>\n
“I guess that emotions were very high for her. I also want to apologize,” Osaka said. “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
Cirstea said the issue was blown out of proportion and that she would prefer to reflect on her decades of experience at the Australian Open.<\/p>\n
“There was no drama. It was just a five-second exchange between two players that have been on tour for a long time,” she said. “It stays between us.”<\/p>\n