Naomi Osaka, known for her soft-spoken nature, can surprise you when you least expect it! The four-time Grand Slam champion hasn’t had it easy this season. Early exits at major tournaments. Struggles to survive the opening rounds. The Japanese star has felt the heat and pressure. Wimbledon left her shattered—she bluntly said she had “nothing positive to say” about the loss. Fans everywhere were stunned. After all, Osaka has twice won both the US Open and Australian Open. But now, she’s targeting a hard-court comeback. Her first opponent? Someone who’s about to feel the fire that Osaka’s bringing.
Recently, Naomi sat down with tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg on Bounces! Chatting about her rocky season and all things tennis, Osaka fielded a spicy question about Emma Raducanu—her second-round opponent at Washington. She already cruised past Yulia Putintseva in straight sets. So, what did she think of Emma?
With both players claiming Grand Slam glory, this clash promises sparks. Ben pressed for details: similarities and differences between Naomi and Emma? Osaka cut right to the chase! “I won my second slam after I won my first slam,” she fired back. Yikes!
On the topic of public attention, Raducanu’s social media sway is astonishing—2.8M Instagram fans! But despite the massive online love, Emma hasn’t lifted a trophy since her fairytale 2021 US Open. The critics? Relentless. Naomi, however, gets it.
this answer from Naomi Osaka nearly lit my computer on fire
(also if you’re not subscribed to @BenRothenberg’s Bounces, you’re missing out) pic.twitter.com/GQag8Bt6hW
— Blair Henley (@BlairHenley) July 24, 2025
She added, “I feel like for her, it must be really tough because I read online that she had a stalker. I don’t know if it’s allowed to say out loud; I don’t really know. Then, I saw that in Dubai or something, there was—so, honestly, I really feel sad for her because that video was one of the saddest videos I’ve ever seen. I just hope she has a lot of really good people around her. I think there must be a lot of pressure from—I don’t know how British media is—but they don’t really seem the kindest. I think she’s navigating it really well.” And she’s right.
Raducanu’s 2025 has been rough. Recurring back injuries forced her out of big events like the Auckland Open. Her French Open and Queen’s Club runs also took a hit. A chilling stalker incident at Dubai, with the same individual later trying to get Wimbledon tickets, made matters worse. Emma’s progress has suffered. And Naomi herself knows all too well how crushing that kind of pressure can be!
Since becoming a mother, Osaka has fought to regain her court confidence. Maternity leave ended early 2024, but injuries remain a stubborn adversary. Yet, the former No.1 kept pushing—bagging her first post-motherhood title at the WTA 125K in Saint-Malo!
But challenges persist. Osaka’s journey to solid ground isn’t over. At times, the thought of retirement has even crossed her mind.
Naomi Osaka hints at her thoughts on retirement
On July 7, just days after her tough Wimbledon exit, the four-time Grand Slam champion opened up about a deep conversation with her dad, Leonard Francois, that really hit home. He told her, “At 59 years old, I feel closer to the end of my life than the beginning, and it’s made me want to enjoy and treasure the years he has left.” What struck him even more was how similar her tennis career felt to that — a powerful perspective that made Naomi pause and reflect.
At first, the 27-year-old was a bit puzzled. But soon, it clicked. “I’ve been playing tennis since I was 3, playing professionally since I was 14, and I’m 27 now,” she said. “I’ve lived almost my entire life playing this sport, and I guess it’s true, I am closer to the end than the beginning.” That realization has shaped how she’s viewing her future on the court and beyond.
Naomi Osaka’s journey has been nothing short of spectacular. Her breakthrough came in 2018 at the US Open, where she stunned the world by beating her idol Serena Williams. She followed that win by capturing the 2019 Australian Open and became the first Asian player to claim the World No. 1 spot in January 2019.
She didn’t stop there—hard courts were her playground, with major titles including a third US Open trophy in 2020 and a fourth Grand Slam at the 2021 Australian Open. As she expressed it, “When I was younger my dream was to hold the US Open trophy… Miraculously, I have two of those trophies now.”
But lately, the road has been bumpy. Naomi Osaka admitted, “Somehow I let my expectations of myself and the expectations of others prevent me from enjoying the rest of my journey, no matter how long or short it may be.” Despite doubts swirling around a potential goodbye, this fierce competitor made a fiery comeback at the Citi Open on July 23.
Now, all eyes are on her next match against Emma Raducanu. Will Naomi’s hunger and experience overpower the rising Brit? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
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