Naomi Osaka shares update after feeling like she wasn't 'in her own body' before US Open
Naomi Osaka is back at the US Open for the first time since 2022.
Naomi Osaka has given an update after sharing a heartbreaking statement ahead of the US Open.
After losing in Cincinnati qualifying earlier this month, the four-time Grand Slam champion declared “I don’t feel like I’m in my body” and likened the sensation to being post-partum, admitting that she was scared.
Osaka is now back at the US Open for the first time in two years and will face Jelena Ostapenko in her first match since posting the emotional comments.
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Ahead of the tournament, she was asked about her candid social media statement and whether she still felt the same on the court. And the former world No. 1 explained that the quick change in surfaces played a big part.
“Yeah, I don't know if it's because I have never been from, like, clay to grass to clay to hard before, but I just felt like I wasn't being, like, I wasn't able to hit the shots that I know I can hit. That was the most frustrating thing because I felt like I couldn't control the balls the way I wanted to,” she said.
“For me, I feel way better now. Like, I'm able to practice at a really high level. I hope that I'm able to play matches at a really high level, too. But I definitely feel like I needed a lot of, like, practice time on hard courts.”
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The 26-year-old is known for being raw and honest online. After tough losses in the past, she has shared notes app statements opening up on her mental health. While the posts have become less frequent, Osaka said that they were still beneficial.
She added: “I feel like it does help me. I think it gives me clarity, and also, I don't know, lets people know how I'm feeling. I think, like, I don't really do it as much anymore. But I don't know. It's like speaking your words into the universe and letting them go. After you see it, you're kind of just free from the thoughts that muddle your mind.”
Now feeling more like herself on the court, Osaka will attempt to cause a huge upset in Flushing Meadows when she faces 10th seed Ostapenko on Tuesday. The Japanese tennis star has the benefit of being a two-time former champion at the US Open but she has not competed in the tournament since before she gave birth.
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It’s been a mixed North American hard-court summer for Osaka. She upset Ons Jabeur in Toronto but lost in the second round. She then failed to qualify for the Cincinnati Open and later wrote: “My biggest issue currently isn’t losses though, my biggest issue is that I don’t feel like I’m in my body. It’s a strange feeling, missing balls I shouldn’t miss, hitting balls softer than I remember I used to.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve played a handful of matches this year that I felt like I was myself and I know this moment is probably just a small phase from all the new transitions (clay, grass, clay, hard etc), however the only feeling I could liken how I feel right now to is being postpartum.
“That scares me because I’ve been playing tennis since I was 3, the tennis racquet should feel like an extension of my hand. I don’t understand why everything has to feel almost brand new again.”
