“I was really nervous coming here” – Naomi Osaka opens up about her mindset before Australian Open 2021

“I was really nervous coming here” – Naomi Osaka opens up about her mindset before Australian Open 2021

A three-time Grand Slam winner, Naomi Osaka is one of the fastest-growing players on the Women’s Tour and her accomplishments on the tennis court are noteworthy. The Japanese star is currently in Australia, competing in the WTA 500 Gippsland Trophy. 

Naomi played her first match of the season and gained a comfortable victory over French tennis player Alize Cornet, winning the match 6-2 6-2 and made her way to the next round. The match was played for a little over an hour. After the match, the Japanese tennis starlet reflected on the opening round match.

Naomi Osaka on her first match after the US Open

Osaka stated that she felt nervous coming into this event because the last competitive match she played was in the US Open, last year. She also indicated that she would like to continue the momentum from the previous season to the current one. The 2020 US Open winner revealed, “I was really nervous coming here. The last match I played was the finals in New York, and I really wanted to continue that momentum. It’s a new year but hopefully, I’ll keep playing better.” 

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The 23-year-old player further talked about having crowds at tennis events after a big hiatus due to the pandemic. She also complimented the Australian crowd for the support she received from them. Naomi continued, “I always feel really nice here in Australia. I feel like everyone really welcomes me, and I’m really glad that you guys opened your arms so we’re able to play here.”

Before this event, the World No. 3 was seen at an exhibition event called ‘A Day at the Drive’ held in Adelaide where players like Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal were in attendance too.

After the WTA event, Osaka will feature at the Australian Open 2021 in Melbourne Park. The Japanese player won the title previously in 2019 and would look to garner encouragement from her performances at this venue in the past.

Also Read: Roger Federer set to return in March, aims to largely focus on the Wimbledon and Tokyo Olympics in 2021