Naomi Osaka Blames Aryna Sabalenka’s Grunts For Disruption During Indian Wells Encounter: “She Tricked Me” 

Aryna Sabalenka will now play Victoria Mboko after beating Naomi Osaka.

Naomi Osaka Blames Aryna Sabalenka’s Grunts For Disruption During Indian Wells Encounter: “She Tricked Me” 

Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka (via X/Jose Morgado/Tennis Channel)

In Short
  • Naomi Osaka attributed her fourth-round exit at Indian Wells to Aryna Sabalenka's disruptive grunting.
  • Osaka expressed that Sabalenka's grunts affected her focus and ability to read the ball during the match.
  • The match ended with Sabalenka winning 6-2, 6-4, as Osaka continues to adjust after returning to tennis post-maternity.

The scoreboard read 6-2, 6-4. But according to Naomi Osaka, there was more to Indian Wells than just tennis.

In one of the most talked-about fourth-round exits of the 2026 season, Osaka fell to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in just 80 minutes on March 10 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California. What nobody saw coming were Osaka’s post-match comments, where she admitted that Sabalenka’s notorious grunting threw off her focus during rallies. She said in her post-match press conference:

It definitely felt like playing her for the first time. I think, like, obviously I could watch her on TV or whatever, but in reality, it’s very different. I also feel like I was a little, like, flat-footed sometimes, because I expected the ball to be coming harder but then it didn’t. She grunts the same way for every ball. I was, like, Oh, my God, she tricked me (smiling).

After the match, Osaka revealed that Sabalenka’s loud grunts genuinely disrupted her ability to read the ball and stay in rhythm. It’s the kind of thing players sometimes whisper about in locker rooms but rarely say out loud.

The reaction was immediate and divided. Some fans sympathized, noting that grunting has long been a psychological weapon and can legitimately affect a returner’s timing. Others argued it’s simply part of the game, always has been, and that Osaka needs to find a way to adapt.

Naomi Osaka struggles against Aryna Sabalenka

Naomi Osaka came out with some early confidence. She held her opening service game cleanly, and for a brief moment, it looked like this might be the kind of comeback match that reminds everyone just how dangerous she can be.

Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka (Image via X/Tiempo De Tenis)

Then Sabalenka broke serve to go up 2-1, and the tone of the match shifted entirely. The top seed’s backhand was relentless.

She carved up angles that left Osaka scrambling, and by the time the first set was over, a lopsided 6-2, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a close one. The second set showed some more resistance from Osaka, but a Sabalenka break at 4-2 sealed it. For Osaka, it was a tough day at the office. For Sabalenka, it was just another Tuesday.

The bigger story

Let’s not lose sight of what Naomi Osaka is actually doing here. She gave birth in July 2023. She stepped away from the sport, came back in late 2025, and is now competing as the 16th seed at one of the biggest tournaments in the world.

Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka (via WTA Tennis)

The last time Osaka and Aryna Sabalenka met on a tennis court was in 2018 — a match Osaka won on her way to capturing her first US Open title. The tennis landscape looks completely different now.

Sabalenka has grown into the dominant force in women’s tennis. Osaka is rebuilding, finding her footing again, and dealing with all the physical and mental adjustments that come with returning to elite competition after becoming a mother.

With Osaka in the rearview mirror, Sabalenka turns her attention to the quarterfinals, where she’ll face Victoria Mboko. The Canadian star is the talk of the town at the moment, slowly becoming the symbol of her country’s tennis.

Also Read: British Icon in Awe of Alexandra Eala’s Rise: “Great For Women’s Tour”