Naomi Osaka is a player crucial for the continued development of tennis, whether people like it or not.
The simple reason for that is clear: she is such a polarising figure, unafraid to catapult herself into the public eye when she feels inclined.
Her fashion stunts at the start of Grand Slam matches this year have been particularly eye-catching, and whether you like them or not, you can’t deny the impact they are having on the sport.
Naomi Osaka gets more people talking about tennis, and that can only be a good thing.
Who can stop Naomi Osaka winning the Wimbledon title now?
However, putting herself in such a position of vulnerability naturally makes her an easy target for scorn.
Before Wimbledon started, she came under fire for what many saw as a bold and unsportsmanlike decision in Bad Homburg. Having just beaten Aryna Sabalenka to reach the quarter-finals, it’s fair to say her controversial decision has already paid off.
Naomi Osaka was criticised for retiring from the Bad Homburg final
Following her strong showing at Roland Garros, Osaka opted to play just one warm-up grass-court tournament before heading to the All England Club.
She headed to Bad Homburg as the number six seed, and fought her way through a stacked draw to reach the final.
There, she faced Karolina Muchova, in what many thought would be a hugely competitive and entertaining affair.
However, after the Czech star snatched the first set by a 6-1 scoreline, it took just one more game in the second set before Osaka called it a day.
She retired from the final, and though Osaka apologised for this decision, many still criticised her. Fortunately, her run at Wimbledon has already vindicated such a move.
Naomi Osaka’s big gamble pays off at Wimbledon
This decision could have backfired massively for Osaka.
She cited a foot injury following the final, but for many it felt like she was prioritising her Wimbledon campaign over a potentially gruelling three-set battle against Muchova just for the title in Bad Homburg.
Give us your one crazy prediction for the second week of Wimbledon!
Had she gone on to lose early at Wimbledon, she would not only have sacrificed a bit of silverware, but also failed to make it pay the following week.
Fortunately, the number 14 seed has shone in SW19, having yet to drop a set en route to the quarter-finals.
Rather ironically, she will now face Muchova, the opponent who benefited from her retirement in that Bad Homburg final.
