Osaka breaks down in press conference: "I didn't expect to lose in the first round"

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With her recent title in Saint-Malo, Naomi Osaka showed that she can perform well on clay courts, which she confirmed with a strong performance in the round of 16 in Rome. Her first match at Roland Garros 2025 was not easy, and the Japanese player ended up losing the first set in the match against Paula Badosa.

Minutes after leaving Philippe Chatrier, Naomi faced the media in a press conference where she couldn't hold back the tears. Frustration got the better of Osaka at times, even prompting her to briefly exit the room while trying to analyze the significance of this result and pondering on what to expect from her tennis in the future.

Hand problems

"Since Rome, I've had blisters on my hands. They come from the friction on clay courts because I don't get blisters on other surfaces. I got used to it, as in Rome, I had to ask the physio for help," the Japanese player said.

What made the difference?

"She was more aggressive, and I made some errors, especially in the last two games. I'm trying to fix them, but it was a close match, for sure."

A defeat tougher than ever

"With time passing by, I feel like I should improve. I've talked about this before, maybe a few years ago, not sure, but I hate to disappoint people. Even with Patrick, I thought: well, it's now. He has trained the best player in the world and can tell himself, 'Oh, what the heck!' Sorry for using stronger words, but...", Osaka said, having to leave the press conference for a few minutes.

The future

"I still don't know my grass season schedule. I didn't expect to lose in the first round, so I'll have to work on that, but I'll definitely be happy to play my next match on grass."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Osaka se rompe en rueda de prensa: "No esperaba perder en la primera ronda"