It was mixed emotions certainly for Naomi Osaka as she watched as the Queen of Clay, Iga Swiatek came from 5-2 and a match point down to seal an epic comeback win at the 2024 French Open. She admitted that she cried after losing out to the World No.1.
But there is solace to this defeat with Osaka calling it the most fun match she has ever played after a 7-6, 1-6, 7-6 defeat to her fellow four-time Grand Slam champion. For a player who in reality has little success on the surface, Osaka has shown this clay court stanza that she has the game for it and her hard work has paid off.
“I've felt worse before, for sure. I cried after the match. But I watched Iga win Roland Garros last year while I was pregnant so I can't be too hard on myself. I played her on her best surface. I'm a hard court child. It was my dream just to play her. I think I did pretty well against her on her surface. I wanna play her on hard courts, my surface," said Osaka.
“It was a very fun match, probably the most fun I’ve played… very memorable.”
She also said in her press conference that she approached her match against Swiatek the same way she did in facing Serena Williams in her first US Open final. "Honestly, it's interesting, but when I play really good players, I don't think about them. I think more about myself. Going into this match, first of all, for me, it's really fun. I feel like those are the moments that I practiced for so long anyways.
"I was kind of approaching it with how I approached my match against Serena the first time in the US Open. I just wanted to focus on me, and no matter what happened outside of the court I didn't try to put my mind to it.”
But also that the confidence is there that she can raise her game to match anybody. "I mean, I told people I was a little delusional when I was coming back, but I think for me I kind of see my game as being good against anybody.
"I also was raised with not having any fear. I think going into a match fearing someone is kind of pointless. So yeah, I don't necessarily think about damaging my opponent, but I'm more focused on what I think I can accomplish. I still feel like I can accomplish a lot.”
Naomi Osaka says she cried after losing to Iga Swiatek, but it was probably the most fun match she’s ever played: “I've felt worse before, for sure. I cried after the match. But I watched Iga win Roland Garros last year while I was pregnant so I can't be too hard on myself. I…
