Constant check-ins from an unlikely source says Naomi Osaka: "He's always been super friendly to me"
WTA
Naomi Osaka has been through a lot in her career including prior to becoming a mother with her mental health in particular being highlighted after she declined to do a press conference at the French Open. But one unlikely source has always checked in on her to make sure she is ok and that she is continuing to thrive.
That being a fellow former World No.1, Andy Murray. The Brit who saw off David Goffin in his opening match on Wednesday has according to Osaka been a player who has always aimed to support her including through her difficult times and that she is too shy to say hello but he always makes the effort.
Osaka will face veteran Sara Errani on Thursday night in her opening round match at Indian Wells and will aim to join Murray in the second round. But it is further evidence of Murray being a special individual who will be missed when he eventually hangs his racquet up.
"He's always been super friendly to me coming up on the Tour. Whenever we bumped into each other, he'd say 'Hi' because obviously, I am too shy to say 'Hi'. But, I feel like he's in a way always checking on me, like especially when all the hard stuff happens," said Osaka prior to Indian Wells.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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