“I was raised with not having any fear,” Naomi Osaka proud of turning up with ‘no fear’ against World No. 1 Iga Swiatek 

Osaka found herself with a matchpoint as she pushed Swiatek to a brink in the second round of the French Open.

“I was raised with not having any fear,” Naomi Osaka proud of turning up with ‘no fear’ against World No. 1 Iga Swiatek 

Naomi Osaka (Via Imago)

Naomi Osaka drew on her determination to attempt a major upset in the second round of the French Open. Facing her biggest challenge yet against Iga Swiatek, the Japanese star showed no signs of fear, putting the Pole under immense pressure throughout the match.

Osaka, who headed into the match as an underdog, showed immense grit and resilience to reach a match point against the WTA No.1. However, she failed to capitalize on it and soon lost her opportunity to upset the defending champion. Eventually, Swiatek fought back and won the match 7-6, 1-6, 7-5. 

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Despite the result, the whole tennis world is proud of Osaka, and her resilience she showed last night. The Japanese ace revealed that she was raised to not have any fear and to focus on what she could accomplish.

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I also was raised with not having any fear. I think going into a match-fearing someone is kind of pointless. So yeah, I don't necessarily think about damaging my opponent, but I'm more focused on what I think I can accomplish. I still feel like I can accomplish a lot. 
Naomi Osaka said via Roland Garros Press

Osaka can take back a lot of positives from the match to try and do better on the next outing. The clay courts have never been her favorite condition to play on, but she still came close to beating a person titled “Queen on Clay”.

Naomi Osaka was emotional after her loss against Swiatek in the second round

An intense thriller unfolded between four-time Grand Slam winners Naomi Osaka and Iga Swiatek, one of the most anticipated matchups. Both players brought their A-game, especially Osaka, who had struggled to find form after her pregnancy break.

Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka (Via Imago)

Despite finding herself a point away from victory, Osaka could not capitalize on it, allowing Swiatek to run away with a victory. After the loss, Osaka revealed to have shed some tears but more importantly, was proud of herself for playing well against one of the best in the business. 

I cried when I got off the court, but then, for me, I kind of realized I was watching Iga win this tournament last year, and I was pregnant. It was just my dream to be able to play her. When I kind of think of it like that, I think I’m doing pretty well. 
Naomi Osaka said

Now, Swiatek moves on to the third round and will play the winner of Jana Fett and Marie Bouzkova match. With the title still in her grasp, Swiatek aims to win three consecutive titles in a row. Following her victories in Madrid and Rome, Paris is next on the list for the WTA No. 1.

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