Osaka's Honesty Cuts Through as Comeback Stalls at Wimbledon
"I'm just going to be a negative human being today. I'm so sorry," she told reporters, more weary than bitter, after her 3-6 6-4 6-4 third-round loss. "I have nothing positive to say about myself. Honestly, right now I'm just really upset."
It was an unflinching performance in the press room, mirroring the one she had just delivered on Court Two. Osaka had started brightly, striking the ball with the same authority that once made her the sport's most fearsome hard-court hitter. But as the match wore on, the rhythm faded, the first serve faltered, and Pavlyuchenkova's relentless pressure told.
"I low-key busted a vein in my hand," Osaka said with a wry smile, a throwaway remark that carried the weight of someone giving everything — physically and emotionally — to a cause that still refuses to cooperate.
This wasn't Osaka being outclassed, it was a tight contest she believed she could win. "I actually thought I could play well. Not saying I didn't play well, but... make a deep run here," she said, her voice trailing into frustration.
"Clearly, I need to work on a couple of things."
Since returning to the tour after maternity leave, Osaka has shown glimpses of the player who once conquered Melbourne and New York. But her comeback remains frustratingly incomplete — flashes of brilliance surrounded by periods of struggle, Reuters reported.
Asked about her goals, she was disarmingly open: "I feel like while I still have the opportunity to try to do it, I want to. Even though I get very upset when I lose... but I think that's my competitive nature. That's also the younger sister syndrome."
On her daughter's birthday week, Osaka wanted to give herself — and her supporters — something to celebrate. Instead, she walked off court feeling once again the familiar ache of what could have been.
"No person wants to feel this way, like, multiple times throughout the year, but tennis players are crazy, so..." she smiled sadly.
"I'm glad to be done with this, and I'm looking forward to the hard courts."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Coach Ivanizevic slams Tsitsipas after early Wimbledon exit
Goran Ivanizevic gave a scathing assessment of Stefanos Tsitsipas, saying he has 'never seen a more unprepared player' in his life following the Greek world number 26's opening round exit at Wimbledon. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Tsitsipas, the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open runner-up, was forced to retire from his Wimbledon first-round match while trailing 6-3 6-2 to French qualifier Valentin Royer on Monday due to a back injury. The 26-year-old, who said he had no answers to his ongoing fitness problems after his elimination, appointed Croatian Ivanizevic as his coach in May after a string of disappointing results at the Grand Slams. Tsitsipas, a former world number three, has reached only one quarter-final in his last nine Grand Slam tournaments. 'It's simple and it's not simple. I've talked to him a lot of times. If he solves some things outside of tennis, then he has a chance and he'll return to where he belongs, because he's too good a player to be out of the top 10,' Ivanizevic told Serbian network Sport Klub after Tsitsipas' exit. 'He wants to but he doesn't do anything. All 'I want, I want', but I don't see that progress... I was shocked, I have never seen a more unprepared player in my life. With this knee, I am three times more fit than him. This is really bad.' Ivanizevic, who won Wimbledon as a player in 2001, helped Novak Djokovic claim nine of his 24 Grand Slam titles before leaving his team in March last year. He then had a short stint with Kazakh world number 11 Elena Rybakina this season.
Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
River Seine reopens to first Paris swimmers after century-long ban
PARIS: The River Seine reopened to Parisian swimmers on Saturday morning for the first time since 1923, offering locals and tourists a welcome respite after a scorching temperatures.A few dozen swimmers arrived ahead of the opening at 8:00 a.m. (0600 GMT) for the long awaited moment, diving into the water under the watchful eye of lifeguards, an AFP journalist seasonal opening of the Seine for swimming is seen as a key legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympics, when open water swimmers and triathletes competed in its waters which were specially cleaned for the swimming zones are equipped with changing rooms, showers, and beach-style furniture, offering space for 150 to 300 people to relax, lay out their towels, and unwind from the city's hustle and promise to lift the swimming ban dates back to 1988, when then-mayor of Paris and future president Jacques Chirac first advocated for its reversal.
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Arab News
Germany off to winning start after beating Poland 1-0 in Women's Euro 2025
ST. GALLEN, Switzerland: Germany made a winning start to their Women's Euro 2025 campaign with Friday's 2-0 win over Poland which moved the eight-time continental champions top of Group C. Christian Wueck's side lead Sweden, 1-0 winners in a Scandinavian derby with Denmark, on goal difference after coming through a hard-fought group opener in St. Gallen thanks to goals in the second half from Jule Brand and Lea Schueller. Germany are one of three big contenders for overall victory in Switzerland alongside world champions Spain and holders England. But the 'Frauenteam' were far from their best for most of the match, with Wueck frequently bellowing at his charges to up their game. And they lost captain Giulia Gwinn to what looked like a knee injury before half-time following a nasty fall in a challenge with Ewa Pajor. 'She's injured her knee and will undergo an MRI tomorrow, at which point we'll know what's happened,' said Wueck. 'It was a tough, hard-fought victory. Poland made it very, very difficult for us with their style of play... We're happy with the result and we know that we can do better.' Germany had won all six previous encounters with Poland but the game was even until Brand cut inside and unleashed an unstoppable shot six minutes after half-time. And Brand was on hand in the 66th minute with a perfect cross for Bayern Munich striker Schueller, who made sure of the points with a simple header. Germany have now won six matches on the bounce, scoring 26 goals in that run, but looked some way below the standard shown by tournament favorites Spain on Thursday, with England facing France on Saturday. Poland acquitted themselves admirably in their European Championship debut but Barcelona's Pajor, who has scored 51 goals for club and country this season, was uncharacteristically wasteful with her finishing. Pajor walloped a great chance at Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger just before Schueller doubled Germany's lead and did the same with a close-range header with nine minutes remaining. Filippa Angeldahl scored Sweden's winner in the 55th minute in Geneva after exchanging passes with Kosovare Asllani and firing into the far corner. Sweden should have doubled their lead 10 minutes later when Madelen Janogy headed Hanna Lundkvist's pinpoint cross narrowly wide, while moments before Stina Blackstenius was denied by Frederikke Thogersen's brilliant goalline clearance. 'It was an enormous sense of joy and relief. There are so many nerves when you start a tournament that it was a wonderful feeling to score that goal,' Angeldahl told reporters. Peter Gerhardsson's team are now unbeaten in 13 games after a second straight win over the Danes, with Sweden running out emphatic 6-1 winners in the Nations League last month. Sweden kept a tight handle on Denmark's skipper Pernille Harder, although she did smash an effort off the crossbar with nine minutes remaining. The Bayern Munich forward was also involved when VAR decided not to award a penalty to Denmark in the opening minutes for a potential handball by Madelen Janogy, who was marking Parder.
