"The process isn’t trusting me": Naomi Osaka expresses frustration after early Madrid Open exit

Former world number one Naomi Osaka has expressed her frustration after the recent setback at the Madrid Open. The 27-year-old, once regarded as one of the best players in the world, is currently going through a difficult phase in her career, particularly after returning from a lengthy break taken during her pregnancy.

She most recently featured in the ongoing WTA 1000 event in the Spanish capital in Madrid where her journey was cut short after losing in the round of 128 to Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti with a score of 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. After the match, Osaka, in a series of posts on her official account on the social media platform Threads, expressed her frustration. “I wouldn’t wish what goes on in my brain to my worst enemy,” she said. “Trust the process but the process isn’t trusting me wtf. Ok I’m done with my crashout. I refuse to be sad ✋🏾 I rebuke it.”

It was the second occasion this season where Osaka was knocked out after losing in the first round of a competition. Earlier, she lost in the round of 128 at the Indian Wells to Camila Osorio in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-4. In the other three events, she had a decent run.

Osaka, who is a four-time Grand Slam winner, started the season at the ASB Classic, where she finished as the runner-up after being forced to retire in the final. After that, she featured in the first Grand Slam of the year — the Australian Open — where she was eventually knocked out after once again being forced to retire, this time in the third round while facing Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic. Her last appearance before arriving in Madrid came during the Miami Open, where she ended up losing in the fourth round to Italy’s Jasmine Paolini with a score of 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.