Osaka: "My problem is that I'm too obsessed with winning"

Naomi Osaka continues to excel in the WTA 1000 Rome 2026. The Japanese player secured a solid victory against Diana Shnaider and made it clear in the press conference that she is once again comfortable on clay courts, a surface historically challenging for her. The former world number one stated that she is rediscovering positive sensations in her tennis and physical condition.

It's always interesting to hear the reflections of Naomi Osaka, a woman who has been making more headlines lately for her fashion and style than for her tennis results. She openly discussed the significant challenge awaiting her in the next round against Iga Swiatek, recalled the important match they played after her return post-pregnancy, and explained how she is trying to regain the mindset that once allowed her to dominate the circuit.

An Almost Perfect Match in Rome

"Honestly, for me, it was a quite straightforward match in the sense that I just wanted to play point by point. In fact, I didn't even know the score until the last game. I just tried to keep everything in my head," explained Osaka after her convincing triumph.

The Japanese acknowledged that when she plays her best tennis, she usually enters a mental state where she stops thinking about the outcome: "When I'm playing really well, that does happen to me. I think I had lost that feeling a bit because I was too focused on wanting to win. That was my biggest mistake in Madrid. This time, I wanted to focus more on not getting frustrated and quickly turning things around."

Clay Courts No Longer a Concern

"Honestly, I'm not sure if I would say that I'm playing incredibly well on clay, but I wanted to move well. On this surface, that helps a lot. Returning one more ball can change everything," Osaka pointed out.

She explained that the significant change in recent weeks has been in her mobility: "During the Sunshine Swing, I felt very stiff. I would move, they would hit the ball, and I felt completely stuck on the court. Then I took a short break to focus on my movement and physical condition. Now, I feel more alert and reactive."

She also made it clear that along with her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, they are not trying to radically transform her game for clay courts: "We're not trying to change too much. Obviously, smart decisions need to be made, but I don't think my tennis is that different between hard courts and clay. Here, the points are longer, and you have to be aggressive but smart."

The Challenge of Facing Swiatek Again

Osaka's reaction upon learning that her next opponent will be Swiatek sparked laughter in the press room: "Oh my... Life is a bit cruel. First Sabalenka, now Iga."

However, she emphasized that these kinds of matches are precisely the ones that motivate her the most: "That's where I truly bring out my best. Even though the last encounters didn't go in my favor, those matches are the most fun for me. Thinking about that challenge makes me smile."

Osaka also recalled the match she played against the Pole two years ago, shortly after returning to the circuit post-motherhood: "Sometimes I remember those matches, and other times I forget them. But I like to think about that match because it was like a test for me. I believe it was my first significant match after pregnancy, and being able to compete toe-to-toe with her on her best surface meant a lot."

"I had always struggled on clay courts, so facing the best player on her best surface and being so close made me feel like I belonged at that level," she added.

Regaining the Winning Mindset

Osaka explained that one of the keys to her recent improvement lies in reconnecting with mental routines she had left behind: "I had to remember how I used to do things before. I was talking with Taylor in Australia, and he told me that he used to think I was a depressed robot because I always hit my leg during matches. So, I remembered certain specific routines I used and tried to regain them. That helped me find my rhythm again."

The Japanese also confessed that she tends to overthink when transitioning between surfaces: "Tomasz constantly tells me not to overthink. Since I play very well on hard courts, when I arrive on another surface, I feel like everyone knows something I don't. But many times, it's just about fighting and competing. You see the scores, and almost everyone is playing three-set matches."

A More Mature Osaka Off the Court

"It's important for me to have a life off the court. Now that I have a daughter, I want to try new things, live experiences, and build something that she can inherit one day. That makes me think much more about my actions and also makes me realize that I won't be here forever," she concluded.

With her convincing victory in Rome and an increasingly strong confidence on clay courts, Naomi Osaka seems to be getting closer step by step to the most competitive version of herself. Now, the great test awaits against Iga Swiatek, in a match that will once again gauge how much progress the Japanese has made on a surface where she is starting to become more threatening.