Naomi Osaka is into the Australian Open third round, but it was no easy feat to reach that stage.
After all, Sorana Cirstea pushed her all the way, taking her to a deciding third set before the two-time champion here in Melbourne pulled away.
At times, the way in which Naomi Osaka was striking the ball was mesmerising. Few on the WTA Tour can dictate play with such power and finesse as she can.
However, this also led to some rather reckless errors, with the second set slipping from her grasp due to a plethora of unforced errors.
Despite this quality combined with such unpredictability, it was not Osaka’s play that dominated headlines after the match’s conclusion. It’s what she said in her on-court interview.
Naomi Osaka issues public apology to Australian Open opponent
Having complained throughout the match, Cirstea offered a frosty handshake at the net after her loss.
In what will be her last-ever appearance at the Australian Open, the match was marred by a string of complaints from the Romanian regarding Osaka’s constant talking between her first and second serves.
Who do you think was in the wrong during this heated Australian Open moment?
This provoked the Japanese superstar, with Osaka taking a jab at Cirstea in a fiery on-court interview.
However, she has since apologised in her post-match press conference, admitting: “Well, if I’m being honest, I’ve never been involved in something like this before, so it’s like I don’t know if we’re supposed to leave it on the court and be like, Hey, how you doing?
“I’m a little confused. I guess that emotions were very high for her. I also want to apologise. I think the first couple things that I said on the court was disrespectful. I don’t like disrespecting people. That’s not what I do.
“So yeah, I mean, if she wants to talk about it, then yeah. But, like, when I’m pumping myself up, in my head I’m not like, Okay, now I’m going to distract the other person. It’s purely for me.”
Asked how she felt immediately after the handshake, the 28-year-old added: “Uhm… I just thought, I was like, Huh, that’s interesting. That was my exact thought in my head.
“Like, for me, no one’s ever complained about it before. Also the umpire didn’t tell me, like, I was wrong. The umpire said I was fine. I was like, Okay. That was kind of what I thought. Like, I thought we moved past it, so.”
What did Naomi Osaka say in her on-court interview?
Whilst Osaka was not outwardly insulting towards Cirstea in her on-court interview, she was spiky and unafraid to bite back after so many complaints during the match.
When asked what the issue appeared to be, she theorised: “Apparently a lot of come on’s that she was angry about.”
What do you think about Naomi Osaka’s Australian Open outfit?
The crowd responded with a drama-inducing exclamation, before Osaka added: She’s a great player. I think this was her last Australian Open, so… sorry she was mad about it.”
This is not the first controversial post-match speech that the four-time Grand Slam winner has been involved in, with Osaka’s on-court interview after the Canadian Open final criticised too just last year.
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