"Overall a C, she is not in shape": Martina Navratilova gives brutal assessment on Naomi Osaka's return defeat at Australian Open

Naomi Osaka lost out to Caroline Garcia in her return to the 2024 Australian Open with many seeing the positives of her returning only months after becoming a mother, Martina Navratilova on the other hand did not mince her words when it came to the former World No.1.

Osaka was defeated 6-4, 7-6(5) in one hour and 28 minutes and Navratilova wasn't impressed with her display saying that she 'is not in shape' and that not having a break point chance all match says all that needs to be said.

“Tennis-wise, it was maybe a B-plus performance. But overall a C, because she couldn’t get to the ball that she wants to hit because she is not in shape,” the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion told Tennis Channel.

“I am surprised that she started playing, that she got on the tour that she played this tournament without clearly being in the tip-top shape she needs to be in order to put herself in the position to hit the big, big balls.

“She was stretched out way too much and the fact that she didn’t have a break point tells you all you need to know about that match.”

But what advice would Navratilova give in the case of Osaka, she pointed out the example of Elina Svitolina who was WTA Comeback Player of the Year months after her return as an example to follow. “Get more fit, play a lot more sets in practice so that when you play the match ‘you have been there, done that’, but most of all just put in the yards on the court and off the court because the girls hit the ball too hard, you have to be quick off the mark to get to the ball to hit your shit,” Navratilova said.

“She gave birth, we know all that, but Svitolina did too and she looked a lot better off the bat. It is something you can control as long as you don’t have injuries, there is no reason not to get in better shape and then she can win a lot more matches.”