Naomi Osaka lost in the second round of the U.S. Open on Thursday despite looking great in her first round win.
Osaka lost in two sets, 6–3, 7–6, to Karolína Muchová in one of Thursday's night session matches. She admitted she was "really disappointed" in the loss, and she didn't feel it lightly. She described losing as feeling like her "heart dies every time I lose."
Even though Osaka is out of the tournament way earlier than she expected, the four-time major winner is still proud of how she finished based on the circumstances of her last couple years. For instance, Osaka's first round win was her first U.S. Open victory in three years, and it was the first time she beat a top 10 player since Jan. 2020.
And, she's not giving up on the future of her major career.
"I'm working way harder than I've ever worked in my life, so it needs to turn into something. Well, it doesn't 'need' to, but I think it will," Osaka said in her post-match press conference. "Even though I haven't got into a final, I still, in my brain I think I can win these tournaments. I feel like eventually it will all piece itself together, and it might not be on the timeline that I want it to be, but I think it'll come eventually."
Naomi Osaka is confident about winning another Grand Slam after US Open loss
— Lakshya Chopra (@LakshyaNotLaksh) August 30, 2024
"I'm working way harder than I've ever worked in my life. How I feel after this tournament? Really disappointed. Even though I haven't got into a final, in my brain I think I can win these tournaments." pic.twitter.com/wKBa1z63jX
Osaka missed most of the 2023 season as she was pregnant with her first child. She gave birth to her daughter in July 2023, then returned to tennis in 2024. She last won a title in Jan. 2021 when she captured the Australian Open, her fourth major.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Naomi Osaka Explains Why She's Confident She'll Win Another Major After U.S. Open Exit.
