Tearful Osaka struggling to search out solutions, on and off court docket

WIMBLEDON, England — Simply moments after being shocked within the first spherical at Wimbledon, Naomi Osaka sat in entrance of a packed room, stuffed with members of the media from world wide, and answered as many questions as she might, talking so quietly one needed to pressure to listen to, and with tears welling up in her eyes.

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After just a few moments of what gave the impression to be sheer agony, she interrupted a query in regards to the pressures of her newfound fame. She turned to the moderator seated subsequent to her and mentioned, “Can I depart? I really feel like I am about to cry.”

And with that, she walked out, leaving these within the room with an uncomfortable silence and much more questions than that they had are available in with.

The life and profession of knowledgeable athlete is filled with highs and lows, however possibly nobody has exemplified this extra extraordinarily than Osaka over the previous 12 months. She beat Serena Williams in a highly-controversial match to tearfully declare her first Grand Slam title (and the primary for any Japanese participant) on the U.S. Open in September and adopted it up with a dominant victory on the Australian Open to safe the No. 1 rating in January. It appeared like tennis’ future had arrived, full with a bouncy ponytail and a unusual humorousness, and he or she all of a sudden was all over the place. The endorsements got here pouring in, as did the TV appearances and journal covers.

Nevertheless, it was abundantly clear all was not excellent in Osaka’s world. She fired her coach Sascha Bajin simply weeks after her win in Melbourne, and made obscure feedback about their spilt and her want to search out happiness. Since then, the 21-year-old has struggled on the court docket, advancing simply as soon as to a semifinal (at Stuttgart in April) and falling within the third spherical on the French Open — marking the earliest exit by a lady in her first main look because the top-ranked participant since Ana Ivanovic in 2008.

Contemplating the speak of a possible “Naomi Slam” following her second-straight win in Australia simply months in the past, Monday’s surprising loss on the primary day of play on the All England Membership feels notably inexplicable. In reality, Osaka turned simply the fourth girl in Open Period historical past to lose a gap spherical match at Wimbledon whereas ranked as a top-two seed.

Naomi Osaka was overwhelmed in straight units by Yulia Putintseva within the first spherical at Wimbledon. Shi Tang/Getty Photos

Going through Yulia Putintseva, a two-time French Open quarterfinalist who’s presently ranked No. 39, on Centre Courtroom, Osaka began robust and took a Three-1 lead, however finally misplaced the set in a hard-fought tiebreak. Putintseva had received their earlier two conferences, together with final month on grass in Birmingham, however primarily based on Osaka’s play within the second set, one may assume the 2 had by no means met. She seemed clueless at occasions, and had no solutions for Putintseva’s numerous sport and shot choice. She had 38 unforced errors on the day, and he or she seemed decidedly much less assured and extra consumed by nerves with each misplaced level.

“She mixes the ball up very well,” mentioned Osaka throughout her curtailed press convention. “I imply, I simply do not assume I performed that properly. However I wasn’t shocked as a result of I’ve performed her, like, twice already.”

Shedding the fifth sport within the second set following a challenged name by Putintseva, to path 2-Three, Osaka took her seat in the course of the changeover and sat in a inflexible stillness staring immediately forward with an icy expression. When time was known as she remained seated for a number of extra moments earlier than lastly making her approach again to the court docket. For a short second it appeared as if she had virtually willed herself again and he or she held benefit for the sport, earlier than then dropping the subsequent three factors, hitting the final one into the online and looking out dejectedly up in the direction of the sky.

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She appeared to don’t have any battle left in her, and Putintseva simply received the subsequent two video games for the match. After the 2 met on the web, Osaka shortly grabbed her bag and headed off the court docket. Putintseva was given a standing ovation by the shocked crowd, and he or she appeared to soak within the second that everybody had seemingly assumed could be Osaka’s.

There are numerous doable causes for Osaka’s current woes, and presumably many will probably be speculated about within the coming days, however she herself provided few clues. When requested about her teaching change, she mentioned firmly, “I do not assume it is associated in any respect.” When requested about her younger age because the supply of her inconsistency, she mentioned, “I would not blame my age on something.” When requested if it was notably tough to play an opponent who had simply overwhelmed her, she mentioned, “How arduous is it to not have that in my head? Very arduous. I do not know the right way to reply that.”

If she is aware of the supply for her present points, she is definitely is not sharing it proper now.

After all, it is not the primary time the highest ladies’s seeds have struggled at Wimbledon. Through the 2018 event, all the prime 5 seeds, and 9 of the highest 10, had been eradicated by the top of the primary week. Grass could be a tough floor for a lot of, particularly contemplating how quick the season is, and gamers steadily discuss not feeling correctly ready. However all of that seemingly affords little solace to Osaka as she turns her consideration to the hardcourt portion of the season, which she dominated final 12 months.

So for now, tennis followers are left pondering what occurs subsequent for the two-time Grand Slam champion and sudden celebrity. Will she have the ability to return to championship type in time to defend her title in Queens? Can she rediscover her confidence and focus, which she confirmed in droves when taking over her idol Serena Williams in entrance of a less-than-supportive crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, in the course of the lead-up occasions? Osaka herself did not even appear sure on Monday afternoon.

“I do not know. There are solutions to questions that you just guys ask that I nonetheless have not found out but.”

She is going to need to discover these solutions, sooner slightly than later.