Naomi Osaka Confident of Playing First-Round Match Despite Injury
Two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka remains optimistic about her chances of playing in the first-round match at the Australian Open despite dealing with an abdominal injury.
Injury Concerns Ahead of Australian Open
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Melbourne: Two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka remains optimistic about her chances of playing in the first-round match at the Australian Open despite dealing with an abdominal injury.
The four-time Grand Slam champion’s MRI scan results were described as “not fantastic,” but Osaka is confident she will still take to the court for her first-round match against Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia.
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Preparation and Confidence
Osaka reached the final of the ASB Classic in preparation for the season’s first Grand Slam but had to retire from the match and undergo an MRI scan. While she didn’t provide specific details about the scan, she assured reporters that she has been practicing well over the past two days and is ready for her upcoming match.
“I’m normally a really honest person, but I probably won’t answer your question honestly,” Osaka told the press on Friday. “The MRI, it wasn’t fantastic, but it wasn’t bad at the same time. I’m pretty optimistic about playing my match, I mean for sure I’m going to play my match.”
Moving On After Setback
Despite the setback in Auckland, where she had to retire from the final, Osaka has moved on mentally and is focusing on the upcoming Grand Slam. Reflecting on her emotions after withdrawing from the final, she admitted feeling frustrated but quickly shifted her mindset.
“It just sucked because I felt like my body wasn’t keeping up with what my mind wanted it to do,” she shared. “At that moment, it was an accumulation of losing in first rounds in 2024 and wanting and hoping to get to a final, and then obviously when I did, I couldn’t play anymore.”
However, Osaka now feels mentally rejuvenated, stating, “I’m strangely over it now. Like, 30 minutes after that happened, I was over it because I felt like I’m playing really well, and I can only keep continuing, and hopefully I’ll get to another final.”
Coaching Change and Future Goals
Osaka, who parted ways with long-time coach Wim Fissette in September, has now reunited with coach Patrick Mouratoglou as she looks to make a strong comeback at the Australian Open.
