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USA Today via Reuters

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USA Today via Reuters

Naomi Osaka has had a disappointing start to the 2022 season. The 24-year-old kicked off her campaign this year at the Melbourne Summer Set 1, which is considered a warm-up tournament for the Australian Open. However, she handed a walkover in the semi-final to Veronika Kudermetova of Russia, citing injury concerns.

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Further, in the opening Grand Slam of the season, the Japanese International could not proceed beyond the round-of-32. She went down fighting to Amanda Anisimova of the USA in the third round. It was a see-saw battle, and she failed to win points at crucial junctures, going down in a three-setter thriller. Notably, her ranking has plummeted to No. 85 in the world after failing to defend her Australian Open title.

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Reuters

After her disappointing show at down under, the 4-time Grand Slam champion has returned home to the states. Recently, she was seen at the Dallas Open, cheering for her friend, Christopher Eubanks.

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Naomi Osaka attends the Dallas Open to cheer her close friend Christopher Eubanks

The Japanese star was in Dallas for her boyfriend Cordae’s show. The American rapper was seen performing ‘From A Birds Eye View’, his recently released album. While in town, Osaka also met her friend, Christopher Eubanks, who is plying his trade at the Dallas Open.

Osaka attended the American’s first-round qualifying match, and she proved to be a good omen for him. Eubanks defeated his fellow American, J.J. Wolf, in three sets, to set up a clash with Vasek Pospisil in the final qualifying round.

Moreover, the Japanese also posted a story of her attending the match on her official Instagram handle. The caption read, “this dude got me over here watching tennis for fun.”

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Reuters

With an entire season of tennis remaining to be played, Osaka would be keen to overcome her slow start and get things going. Certainly, she will look to improve her ranking, which has seen a major dip after the Happy Slam.

Do you think Naomi Osaka can make a strong comeback further in the season?

WATCH THIS STORY: A Day With Tennis Star Naomi Osaka

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Vatsal Shah

3,705 Articles

Vatsal Shah is a tennis journalist at EssentiallySports, covering ATP and WTA storylines from the ES Trends Desk since 2023. He delivers breaking insights on major tournaments and player arcs, decoding tactical shifts and viral moments into accessible takeaways for fans worldwide. His coverage of Taylor Townsend’s Dubai title win stood out for capturing both the emotional significance of her victory and the context of her comeback. Drawing on his background as a recreational player, Vatsal adds a courtside perspective to his reporting, bringing depth and authenticity to Grand Slam coverage for the ES News Center. By combining sharp observation with a clear, engaging writing style, he ensures that key tennis moments are not only reported but truly understood. Fluent in English, French, and German, as well as three Indian languages, Gujarati, Hindi, and Marathi, Vatsal connects with a diverse global readership. With his mix of linguistic reach, analytical insight, and passion for the sport, he is carving a niche as a fresh, incisive voice in tennis journalism.

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