Posted by Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday August 29, 2024
New York-Naomi Osaka she could not continue her momentum from her first Top-10 win in four years (against Jelena Ostapenko) in the first round of the US Open, and was eliminated in the second round by the talented Czech. Karolina Muchova Thursday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The four-time major ends her Grand Slam season with a 3-4 record, and she wasn’t shy about admitting that the loss was tough to stomach, given how much work she’s put in to come back from maternity leave this season. .
“It’s very difficult because I take this loss personally,” he told reporters after facing the Czech 6-3, 7-6. “It’s like an amazing voice, but I feel like my heart dies every time I lose. It worries me a lot, but I’ve been trying to be more mature and learn and talk more about them.”
Osaka had three points in the second set, working to 5-4, 40-0, but she got stronger and squandered her chance with a loose and inappropriate play.
“I think that in times of pressure I was nervous, and I don’t know if I should continue to play more games and get used to that feeling, especially on a really big stage,” he said. “To be honest, when I get past the disappointment, I feel very proud that I got more chances while I still feel that I could have played a lot better.”
The 26-year-old fell to 17-16 overall on the year. He has taken his ranking outside the Top 800 to 85, so things are looking in the right direction.
“To be honest, I felt like I was coming back from pregnancy, but it wasn’t like in 2022 I was like a better version of me. So somehow I had to catch that, and try to pass it on right away,” he said. I don’t know. It’s been difficult because obviously I can measure how I’m doing by results. Like, I feel fast. I feel better, but I lost in the second round. So it’s a bit bad.”
Osaka says she’s frustrated that things are taking longer than she expected to meet, and she’s hopeful that she’s getting the job done, and getting better step by step.
“I still think in my mind that I can win these competitions,” he said. “I feel that eventually everything will come together. It might not be in the timeline I want, but I think it will come eventually.”
