Naomi Osaka has revealed that the pressure of winning the Australian Open title nearly cost her in the final against Petra Kvitova.
The 21-year-old overcame the no. 8 seed in three sets in a thrilling final at the Rod Laver Arena. In doing so, Osaka became the first-ever Japanese tennis player to win the Australian Open.
But the youngster, who completed back-to-back Grand Slam title victories after winning the US Open last year, admitted she struggled to cope with the pressure.
Osaka blew three championship points at 5-4 up in the second set, eventually collapsing to a 5-7 defeat and allowing Kvitova to take the match to a final set.
"I feel like I was lingering too much on the fact that I had three points," Osaka told Eurosport.
"I had to tell myself I couldn't really control what she was doing because she was serving.
"Of course, I had to change during the match and she was sort of teeing off of my second serve. I would have loved to have hit them harder but I didn't want to risk double-faulting so it felt like a process.
"I felt like I was acting really ungrateful. Of course, I lost three match points but I should have focused again. I was on serve and I let that bother me.
"I had to focus because I was playing against one of the best players in the world.
Osaka will be confirmed as the new world number one after winning her second Major and the Long Island-raised starlet insisted she hadn't processed her new status.
"It still hasn't sunk in. I've just been walking around in a state of shock," she added.
"[Being number one] sounds a bit weirder than being Australian Open champion. I guess I'll process it maybe tomorrow."
