“I was bawling my eyes out”: Naomi Osaka recalls crying in parking lot after US Open loss
WTASunday, 09 August 2026 at 22:30
Naomi Osaka was sitting alone in a parking lot after one of the most emotionally difficult losses of her career. It was the 2024 US Open, her first appearance at Flushing Meadows since becoming a mother, and she had just been beaten by Karolina Muchova. The defeat came in the second round, but for Osaka it carried a weight that went well beyond another early exit from a Grand Slam.
She had returned to the tournament with the distinctive bow dress that became one of the defining images of her comeback. The US Open had already been the stage of two of her four Grand Slam triumphs, in 2018 and 2020, and returning to New York after having her daughter made the occasion even more significant.
That memory remains relevant as Osaka builds toward another US Open campaign. The former world No. 1 is enjoying a strong North American hard-court swing, arriving in Toronto as the No. 11 seed and defending the final she reached there in 2025, her first WTA 1000 final in more than three years. She has also reached the semifinals in Washington and owns a 24-9 record this season.
The timing has given Osaka another opportunity to build confidence before returning to the tournament she considers uniquely important. She opened her Canadian Open campaign with straight-set wins over Panna Udvardy and Elise Mertens and now faces home favorite Leylah Fernandez in the round of 16.
Osaka remembers breaking down after US Open defeat
The Muchova defeat came during a complicated stage of Osaka’s career. She was still finding her way back to the level that had made her a four-time Grand Slam champion, while the significance of returning to the US Open after becoming a mother added another layer to the tournament. The loss ultimately left her alone in the parking lot, struggling to process what had happened.
“I remember the first year I came back from having my daughter, I had the bow dress, and I played Muchova, and I remember I lost that match, and I just sat in the parking lot, and I was, like, bawling my eyes out just because that tournament meant so much to me, and I just wanted to do well.”
The episode helps explain why Osaka describes the US Open differently from the other Grand Slams. She won her first major title in New York in 2018, defeating Serena Williams in the final, and returned two years later to beat Victoria Azarenka for a second title.
Last year, she went deep into the tournament again, reaching the semifinals before Amanda Anisimova ended her run. “Obviously last year I did well, and I wanted to get to the final, but Amanda played insane, so I wasn’t even mad about that,” Osaka added.
Her attitude toward the tournament has therefore remained closely tied to both achievement and expectation. Asked whether she places significant pressure on herself specifically for the US Open, she was direct about the importance of the tournament. “If you’re asking me if I put a lot of pressure on myself for that specific tournament, I do, and usually it goes my way,” the 4-time Grand Slam champion claimed.
Toronto provides another chance to build momentum
Osaka’s current form gives her a different starting point for this year’s North American swing. She entered Toronto as the 11th seed after reaching the final in 2025 and has again moved through the opening rounds without dropping a set, beating Udvardy 6-2, 6-4 before defeating Mertens 6-1, 6-2.
The run has also followed a positive result in Washington, where Osaka reached the semifinals before losing to Eala. It represents a notable improvement from the beginning of the season, when she exited both the Australian Open and Indian Wells in the third round. Her 24-9 record now provides a much stronger platform heading toward New York.
“I mean, I feel pretty good. Like, obviously, I wish I could have done better in D.C., but I felt like maybe I dipped a little, and now I’m just trying to, like, keep myself up for the swing because we’re going into a slam that I really love, and I’m kind of anticipating it a lot.”
The next obstacle in Toronto will be Fernandez, who earned her first top-10 win of the season by beating Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-4. Osaka and Fernandez have met twice, with both matches going to three sets, and the matchup presents a particular challenge because Fernandez is left-handed. Osaka also practiced with her in Washington only a week before their meeting in Toronto.
“Truthfully, I played really bad. So I hope maybe she thinks that I’ll play that bad and she’ll be caught off guard. But, I mean, I don’t really think so. Like, I’m the type of person that I don’t really care about practice, really, so I’m not really out there, like, swinging fully or anything like that.”
Osaka has already identified the biggest adjustment when facing a left-hander: the serve. She pointed to Petra Kvitova as an example of how difficult that matchup can become when the delivery creates a different angle and rhythm.
“For everyone it’s the serve. Like, even if I think back on my hardest matches, like, Kvitova was so tough for me because her serve was insane," Osaka added. "Aside from her being really tall, it just had, like, that cut. So that’s, like, the hardest thing. It takes a while to get used to.”
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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