"Oh my god, she’s growing so fast. She’s even talking back now" - Naomi Osaka cherishes time with daughter as she familiarises herself with clay courts in Madrid

The last time Naomi Osaka took to the court against Camila Osorio at Indian Wells, she banished some unwanted demons from a prior encounter the year before. She continued that positive form over the Colombian in the second round of the Madrid Open, winning 6-2, 7-5 in a very solid performance.

After a comfortable first set, the former world number one found herself 2-0 down in the second set. She quickly got back on level terms before being broken at a crucial time. Osorio would have the chance to serve it out but Osaka fought back. She levelled at 5-5 ahead of winning the final two games to seal an impressive victory in straight sets.

Following the match, she outlined her intentions going into the match. "Honestly, the main focus for me was being aggressive," she said on the Tennis Channel. "I think I learned a lot because I played her recently in Indian Wells. I actually really appreciated my serve today, so I’d say returning a bit better. Some of the balls were flying, but it was my first match here, so I’m just adjusting."

On the clay compared to their last clash on hardcourt, Osaka pinpointed some key differences from those contests. "It felt a little more physical, which was weird because the points weren’t that long," she admitted. "I think I was just trying to figure out the movement. Moving is always a little bit tricky, and this clay court plays a bit differently from standard clay."

Osaka is known to be a very aggressive player, always pushing the boundary with big shots stifling her opponents. She has also shown improvements on clay in recent years as she tries to find the limit with how aggressive she can be.

"I’m trying. I’m trying my best to figure out the limit of how aggressive I can be here. The ball bounce is pretty high. For me, I don’t have much experience winning a lot of matches here, so I’d love to do that this year. Overall, I’m just trying to learn as much as I can."

Osaka decided to take a little break from tennis after that disappointing second round exit in Miami. She skipped the first part of the clay swing with the intention of coming and making an impression in Madrid.

One of the main reasons behind this was to have some time with her daughter, Shai. Being on tour so much of the year, Osaka has to painfully spend a lot of time away from her as she challenges for the biggest titles in the world.

"Honestly, I prioritised my daughter," she stated. "We were in North Carolina, and I had my whole team come there. We practiced on green clay, which is why I came here almost a week early—to get used to the red clay. Tennis-wise, I’d say fitness and movement were the priorities. That’s everything on clay."

When asked how she was doing, Osaka gleefully answered: "She’s really good—she’s here. Oh my god, she’s growing so fast. She’s even talking back now."

With her family an obvious priority, there has been recent comments made by the four-time Grand Slam champion that she may not stick around in this sport for much longer if she continues to lose early in tournaments. She has shown that the quality is still there, reaching the final of the Canadian Open last year ahead of a run to the semi-finals in the US Open.

With her tennis career continuing to progress, Osaka's vision of success has altered. "As I get older, my perspective has changed," she explained. "Winning is obviously important to me—I’m always competitive—but at the end of the day, if I learn something and feel like I’ve improved, then I can just keep moving forward day by day."

The pressure is not there with tennis for the 28-year-old, who enjoys an abundance of hobbies off the court. "Honestly, I don’t really feel pressure from tennis anymore. I just want to go out there and try my best—whatever happens, happens. Recently, I’ve been watching Euphoria. I also mix that with 90 Day Fiancé because they’re so different."

She also spoke of her friendship with fellow tennis player Taylor Townsend. The pair regularly hang out and have been on holiday together. "I think when you meet someone, you just know if you’ll click. Taylor is the biggest sweetheart—I love her. She’s always so caring, but she also knows how to have fun. Plus, she’s a mom, so we relate on a lot of things."

Osaka has only made it past the second round stage in Madrid once back in 2019, where she made a run to the quarterfinal stage. Similar ambitions will be in store as she prepares for a test against qualifier Anhelina Kalinina.