Osaka remembers a fact about Nadal after her pass to the Roland Garros round of 16: "It has helped me a lot"

Andrés Tomás Rico | 30 May 2026 | 17.00

Osaka remembers a fact about Nadal after her qualification for the Roland Garros round of 16: "He has helped me a lot". Photo: Gettyimages.

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Naomi Osaka is playing her best tennis on clay and has reached her first round of 16 at Roland Garros. The Japanese player seems to have found some consistency in her game. While people focus on her outfits, she advances rounds and threatens Aryna Sabalenka, her next opponent.

Regarding the Belarusian, her various outfits, her great level of play in Paris, and a fact about Rafa Nadal that made her change her perspective on Roland Garros, she spoke in her press conference after her victory in an exciting match against Iva Jovic by 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 7-5.

Naomi Osaka and a statistic from Nadal that is helping her in Roland Garros 2026

"I keep thinking about a statistic that Tomasz Wiktorowski told me. I don't know if it's accurate, but it has helped me a lot. He told me that Nadal won 98% of his matches here, but only won about 50% of the points. That made me think that I don't need to win every point, just fight for each point and try to make it fall on my side."

Confesses her great form

"Yes, I definitely feel that way. Especially on this surface. In the past, I would usually get injured in Stuttgart and then come here practically limping. Now I have felt quite good. Obviously, I got injured in Australia and the American tour was not the best for me. But I set a goal to perform very well on clay and grass. I don't want this to be my last round. I want to keep advancing. I just want to focus on each match."

On the origin of each outfit with Nike

"I have many meetings with Nike, and I don't think people realize the time and effort they put into each outfit. They plan it at least a year and a half in advance. We have many tests throughout the year because your weight can vary or the fabric can change slightly. There is a lot of work behind all of this. If you ask for the exact number of tests, I would say at least four."

She will face Sabalenka

"The truth is I don't know. I hadn't even noticed. Let whatever happens, happen. I think I played a very good match against her in Madrid. I think I lowered my level in the second and third set. I hope to maintain consistency and continue to be aggressive."

Fashion is part of her DNA

"I can't disconnect from fashion; it's part of who I am. I don't feel like I have to turn something on or off when I play. It's my way of expressing myself. In fact, right now it would seem stranger to play in a normal tennis outfit. I think it's part of the fun. For a long time, I didn't enjoy playing, and you all know that stage of my life. Now I want everything to be fun and exciting for me."

Shining, as always ✨#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/yqUMbODqwy
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 30, 2026

She is not concerned about not playing in the night session

"The truth is I am quite calm about that. I don't care much about the court or the schedule. I don't know. I understand that sometimes certain matches are seen as more 'popcorn-worthy,' but I am so used to not playing night sessions here and doing so at the US Open, for example, that I don't even associate Roland Garros with nighttime matches."

About Tomasz Wiktorowski's support

"He doesn't give me specific advice for clay. Obviously, he tells me which shots work best on this surface, but he doesn't come with a clay manual. He talks more about my game and what he would like me to do. He gives me a lot of freedom."

She praises Iva Jovic's high level

"I also think one of the reasons I was so calm is that I knew she was young. Young players are among the most dangerous because they are not afraid and just go out to play. I knew she was a great player and hoped that my experience could come through at some moments, and I think it did. She is a great player, and I look forward to watching her play many more matches on the circuit," said the Naomi Osaka who is starting to show promising form in this Roland Garros.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Osaka se acuerda de un dato de Nadal tras su pase a los octavos de Roland Garros: "Me ha ayudado mucho"

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