Naomi Osaka\u2019s emotional week at the Canadian Open ended with both triumph and controversy. The former World No. 1\u2019s journey to the finals marked a significant step in her comeback, but a post-match speech that ignored her teenage opponent sparked fierce criticism from tennis fans worldwide. Now, a legendary coach who shaped the Williams sisters\u2019 careers is defending Osaka\u2019s actions, saying the backlash has gone too far.<\/p>\n
Why Does Rick Macci Believe Naomi Osaka Deserves Grace After Her Controversial Speech?<\/p>\n
Despite making the finals of the just-concluded Canadian Open, the resurgent Osaka had far from an ideal week. Online tennis fans piled on her following a controversial moment after a heartbreaking loss to Canadian teen sensation Victoria Mboko.<\/p>\n
In a rushed and brief post-match speech, Osaka made no mention of her opponent, Victoria Mboko\u2019s game, riling up tennis fans across social media platforms.<\/p>\n
However, Rick Macci, a veteran coach best known for guiding Venus and Serena Williams during their formative years, has argued that Osaka should be forgiven for her conduct, as her defeat was \u201cfresh out of the oven.\u201d<\/p>\n
Taking to X, where he has a sizable following, Macci said that people should \u201cpump the brakes\u201d on their criticism of the former World No. 1.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody has to pump the brakes on Osaka a female athlete and her speech,\u201d Macci,70<\/a>, said.<\/p>\n \u201cHas anybody seen an NBA<\/a> or NFL<\/a> game after a heated combat?\u201d he asked. \u201cSome athletes give the broiler plate response and say all the right things.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSome say whatever because the thoughts and dots are not connected yet as defeat is still fresh out of the oven.\u201d<\/p>\n Everybody has to pump the brakes on Osaka a female athlete and her speech. Has anybody seen an NBA or NFL game after a heated combat? Some athletes give the broiler plate response and say all the right things. Some say whatever because the thoughts and dots are not connected\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Rick Macci (@RickMacci) August 8, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Macci brings unique credibility to this defense. As a seven-time USPTA national coach of the year, he has trained several number-one-ranked players, including Andy Roddick, Jennifer Capriati, Maria Sharapova, and the Williams sisters. His experience with athletes in high-pressure moments gives weight to his perspective that immediate post-competition reactions shouldn\u2019t be judged too harshly.<\/p>\n How Did Osaka Respond to the Mounting Criticism Over Her Speech?<\/p>\n Amid the ongoing controversy, Osaka took to her Threads account to apologize for the incident.<\/a><\/p>\n Naomi Osaka after losing to Victoria Mboko in Montreal final<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t really wanna take up too much time. I\u2019ll just say thank you to everyone. Thank you to my team, the ball kids, organizers, & volunteers. I hope you guys had a good night.\u201d<\/p>\n pic.twitter.com\/2FG17imqmK<\/a><\/p>\n