WTA Cincinnati Masters: After Win Over Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka Says “Things Are Really Crazy” Across The World

Cincinnati: Naomi Osaka staged a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 comeback victory over Coco Gauff to reach the third round of the WTA Cincinnati Masters, her first WTA Tour event since the French Open in late May.

Osaka appreciated being tested so quickly.

The Japanese registered a hard-fought three-set win over America’s Coco Gauff in Cincinnati to move to the third round of the tournament.

The shy Japanese second seed’s anxiety over attending obligatory post-match media conferences was nowhere in evidence as she explained possible reasons for her emotional crisis, which erupted three months ago when she withdrew after playing one match at Roland Garros.

When asked what her mindset was like during the match against Gauff, Osaka mentioned the havoc raised by the recent earthquake in Haiti and also spared a thought for the crisis in Afghanistan.

“With everything going on in Haiti (her father’s homeland) and Afghanistan, things are really crazy,” the four-time Grand Slam winner said.

“It’s crazy for me to be in the US hitting a tennis ball and people come and watch me play.”

“I wonder what affected me so much and made me not want to do media. (Maybe) I was scared of bad headlines (if she lost),” she said.

“I should feel like I’m winning (in life), having people come to watch me is an accomplishment.

“But that started not being an accomplishment for me — I was ungrateful.”

“Some of the stress may have come from living in Covid (tennis) bubbles and not seeing (outside) people,” she said.