Naomi Osaka Speaks To Press After Making Her Olympic Debut: I’m Happy Again

Naomi Osaka Speaks To Press After Making Her Olympic Debut: I’m Happy Again

Naomi Osaka is in better spirits amid the Tokyo Olympics!

Yesterday (Sunday, July 25th), Naomi Osaka played–and dominated–her first match of the Tokyo Olympics. In her match against China’s Zheng Saisai, Naomi Osaka won both sets with scores of 6-1 and 6-4, respectively.

After her win, Naomi Osaka opened up about the experience to the press. The athlete stated:

“The Olympics has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, so I feel like the break that I took was very needed. I feel definitely a little bit refreshed, and I’m happy again.”

Naomi Osaka continued:

“I feel a little bit out of my body right now. There’s nothing wrong with my body; I just felt really nervous. I haven’t played since France, so there were definitely some things that I did a bit wrong, but I think I can improve in the matches that I continue playing.”

In her comments, Naomi Osaka refers to her decision to skip press conferences at the French Open for mental health reasons. After being fined $15,000 for her decision, the 23-year-old tennis star withdrew from the event.

A couple of weeks later, Naomi Osaka also withdrew from Wimbledon. A statement was released on her behalf regarding the decision, reading:

“Naomi won’t be playing Wimbledon this year. She is taking some personal time with friends and family. She will be ready for the Olympics and is excited to play in front of her home fans.”

It seems like her decision to take a break paid off, as she swept her first Olympic match and said she is feeling “happy again”! Additionally, less than 24 hours after her first win, Naomi Osaka earned a second victory in her match against Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic.

What do you think about the Naomi Osaka situation? Comment down below to let us know!