Naomi Osaka felt 'like a kid again' watching Carlos Alcaraz in time away from tennis, set to use secret weapon from his arsenal
WTASunday, 31 December 2023 at 10:30
Former world number one Japan’s Naomi Osaka has revealed
that she fell in love with tennis once again after watching some youngsters
play the game including the likes of Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz.
The 26-year-old has not played the sport at the highest
level for more than a year after she opted to stay on the sidelines because of
pregnancy. Osaka has gained some pace in the recent past in order to return to the
court in 2024.
The Osaka-born was recently quoted in a report where she
stated that she fell in love with tennis once again after watching youngsters
play the sport including men’s current world number two and already two-time
Grand Slam winner Alcaraz.
“Of course, I’m not going to sit here and say that I’ve
never loved tennis,” she said. “Of course I loved it. I think after a certain
point, I just felt more relieved to win, if that makes sense. It was a little
hard dealing with that. Instead of being happy to win, I felt more relief,” she
explained.
“Yeah, I think for me just having this time away watching
other players, appreciating them a lot. I remember watching Wimbledon, watching
Alcaraz going to the court and practising drop shots because I’m going to play
like drop shots like he does. I guess in a way being a kid again, being
inspired by other players, wanting to play on the big courts.”
Osaka, talking about her potential return in 2024, stated
that she is feeling a bit ‘nervous’. “I feel definitely I’m nervous, I haven’t
played a match in a long time, but I’m competitive so I’m thinking I’m nervous
and I want to win. There’s a lot of things that are going on in my head,” she
said.
“I think the biggest thing is just walking onto the court and sort of absorbing all the energy and experiencing the atmosphere for me is something that I’m definitely going to treasure a lot.”
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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