Naomi Osaka did not have ideal preparation coming into her first round match at Wimbledon.
Osaka reached her first grass court final in Bad Homburg last week, after beating the likes of Elise Mertens and Ekaterina Alexandrova.
However, the final did not go to plan, with Osaka retiring against Karolina Muchova due to a foot injury.
This did not seem to impact Osaka in her first round match at Wimbledon, where she beat Elsa Jacquemot 6-1, 7-5, but she has admitted that she has found the last few days stressful.
Naomi Osaka admits she was ‘stressed’ after short turnaround for first round match at Wimbledon
Osaka had just two days to prepare for her first round match at Wimbledon, and in her post-match press conference she explained how hectic it had been for her and suggested she may not play in the week before a major tournament again.
“Yeah, honestly, it was a little concerning for me just because I couldn’t finish my final, then I had to fly the same day, then try to practice the next day, then I had to play my match today,” said Osaka. “I was definitely really stressed out about it. But thankfully we got to the other side and I’m here now.
“I guess, like, while that was happening, I kind of remembered that I never really play tournaments the week before a Grand Slam. The only time that really ever happened was the 2020 US Open when Cincinnati was, like, on the same site, yeah.”
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Osaka was also asked about her injury, as she explained that her foot feels worse in the morning but gradually improves throughout the day.
“It’s actually not my ankle, it’s the bottoms of my feet,” said Osaka. “I mean, it felt fine. In the mornings, it’s really stiff. I think it loosens up throughout the days.
“I just have to see what happens because I played, I mean, it wasn’t a short match today, but I guess I’ll just see what happens.”
Naomi Osaka reveals what other players have asked about her Wimbledon outfit
Something that has almost become expected of Osaka at Grand Slam tournaments are her unique outfits and Wimbledon has been no different.
Osaka has paid tribute to her Japanese heritage with her latest attire, sporting a kimono design for her walk on to court.
The former world number one was also asked about this and if she had received questions from other players about it.
“I got asked if I only have one, because it’s all white, and what happens if I stain it,” answered Osaka. “She was like, If you stain it, do you have to, like, dye it after that?
“Some people were like, Is it against the rules if you dye it, and then is that considered not wearing all white? Because I am taking it off and stuff. A lot of people had a lot of different interesting questions.”
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Osaka will get another opportunity to showcase her design in her second round match at Wimbledon, where she will play against qualifier Anastasia Gasanova.
This will be a first-time meeting between Osaka and Gasanova, with the match taking place on Wednesday, July 1.
