Osaka: "It's unbelievable that I've only reached the third round here"

Fernando Murciego | 23 May 2026 | 16.27

Osaka: "It's incredible that I have only reached the third round here." Source: Getty

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Naomi Osaka is the first to know that clay is far from being her favorite surface, but she doesn't lose the excitement of finally performing well at Roland Garros. With seriousness and humility, that's how the Japanese player faces this upcoming event.

No matter what happens, Naomi Osaka will always be Naomi Osaka, an extraordinary player who hasn't shown her best version on the court in a long time. Certainly, we can't expect an exceptional brilliance from the Japanese on clay either, but she has this pending account she wants to erase at all costs. During the press conference this Saturday at Roland Garros, we heard her talk about her trajectory on clay, but also about what fashion means in her daily life and how Gael Monfils' figure has been a reference for her during her growth stage.

Gael Monfils' Retirement

"For me, what the player represents has always been important; on the women's side, we've always had Venus and Serena, so I'm very grateful to them. On the men's side, I've always admired Gael and Tsonga for a long time; they were very important, obviously generating a wave of black French players that are emerging now. They were an inspiration, I know that for sure. Regarding Gael, I love his way of being, he's a cool guy, it's always nice to talk to him about some topics regarding our children."

The Importance of Fashion in her Career

"Fashion has always been important to me; I usually share it with people, it's a way for me to express myself through my clothes. This means that I can wear colors, patterns, or fabrics as flashy as I want. I would definitely say that I'm also doing something extra here; it's a very fun part. Maybe I feel that we've lost a bit of this in tennis, but I grew up seeing the styles of Venus and Serena; I can probably see an outfit and tell which year it's from. I know there are other players similar to me in that sense; hopefully, people will feel the same about my outfits over the years."

Her Relationship with Fame

"Honestly, I don't know, I don't think I've ever felt famous. I've traveled around the world, and I know there are people who know me, but I'm very grateful not to be famous because I like going out, walking, doing all that. It's great that there are people who say I've inspired them or meant a lot to them at certain moments in their lives, but my dream is not to be famous."

How did she learn to handle bad days?

"When those situations arose, my father always told me that I was investing my own energy in the wrong things. For example, I remember that I never celebrated victory if I won, but I do remember getting very discouraged when I lost. You know what? To this day, I still do it, I still do it, that's why I try to encourage myself a lot and express myself more strongly on the court. I think sometimes I could do better, or maybe I could do less. I just have to celebrate my victories more and try not to 'celebrate' the defeats so much."

Naomi Osaka values her clay court season

"This year, my clay court season is a bit difficult to evaluate. For instance, I felt I was playing very well in Madrid, but I faced Sabalenka and lost. At least I had my chances, which was positive. Then we went to Rome, a different type of clay, where I had to adapt. I played well in my first two matches, but then Iga completely humiliated me, it was crazy. Honestly, that affected my confidence a lot, but I had to accept it knowing that she is better than me on clay, even though the score was crazy. Many people know me for being good on hard courts, so I hope to improve over time on other surfaces. Talking to Tomasz, he once told me it was crazy that I've only reached the third round here; I hope this year I can go further."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Osaka: “Es increíble que solo haya llegado a tercera ronda aquí”