Naomi Osaka hopes to have a career even ‘remotely comparable’ to greats like Roger Federer
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Naomi Osaka won the Australian Open 2021 by defeating Jennifer Brady with a final score of 6-4, 6-3. This is the twenty-first victory in a row for the Japanese and her second victory in Melbourne, after 2019.
With this result, Osaka returns to World No.2 for the first time since September 2019, while Brady will be #13. Osaka is the seventh to win the Slam after saving match points. This is the seventh tournament she won in her career out of 10 finals played.
In the press conference, Osaka talked about several topics. She said, “My main goal is, although it may sound weird, to play long enough to face a girl who said that I was once her favorite player or something. I came into this tournament focusing exclusively I’ve learned that both on and off the court, it’s okay not to be sure of yourself. As far as I’m concerned, I feel like I’ve always forced myself to be strong or something.”
“I think if you don’t feel well, it’s okay not to feel good. But you have to look inside yourself and try to understand why. That’s what I did during the quarantine before the US Open last year and that’s what I did here too when I was in quarantine,” she added.
“At a time. For me now the goal is to get to five. If I had to win the fifth then maybe I would aim for seven or eight. I always try not to enlarge the picture too much. Of course it’s an honor that I said that, but I don’t want to burden myself of pressures and expectations,” she further said.
Naomi Osaka speaks up on ‘inspirations’ Monica Seles and Roger Federer
In the same Interview she opened about her views on legends like Monica Seles and Roger Federer.
“I try to control what I can control, which is to work hard and create opportunities for myself. Four Grand Slams out of four finals as before you have only Monica Seles and Roger Federer managed to do? I’d say I’m in good company!”
She then talked about her aspirations to have a career similar to Roger Federer.
“I hope I can have a career even remotely comparable to theirs. I hope on clay-courts because it is the one that comes first. I feel I still have to learn to be comfortable on those surfaces. This is the fundamental thing for me because I didn’t play as a junior and therefore I grew up without playing on grass-courts at all,” she added.
“I honestly think I might have better luck on clay because I haven’t played badly in the past. It’s just something I have to get used to,” she concluded.
Also Read: Serena Williams is still the face of tennis, reiterates Naomi Osaka
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