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TENNIS AUSTRALIAN OPEN, Sorana Cirstea of Romania following her loss in the Womens 2nd round match to Naomi Osaka of Japan on day 5 of the 2026 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Wednesday, January 22, 2026. NO ARCHIVING MELBOURNE VICTORIA AUSTRALIA PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxAUSxNZLxPNGxFIJxVANxSOLxTGA Copyright: xLUKASxCOCHx 20260122172734365817

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TENNIS AUSTRALIAN OPEN, Sorana Cirstea of Romania following her loss in the Womens 2nd round match to Naomi Osaka of Japan on day 5 of the 2026 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Wednesday, January 22, 2026. NO ARCHIVING MELBOURNE VICTORIA AUSTRALIA PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxAUSxNZLxPNGxFIJxVANxSOLxTGA Copyright: xLUKASxCOCHx 20260122172734365817
The tennis world is not yet over with the Sorana Cirstea and Naomi Osaka drama at the Australian Open. What followed Cirstea’s annoyance with Osaka’s ‘come ons’ during the game was a frosty handshake and the “whatever” comment from Osaka during the on-court interview. A day after the controversial match, Novak Djokovic’s wife, Jelena Djokovic, fired back both at Osaka and the chair umpire.
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Cirstea, who stepped on the Australian Open court for the last time, was already frustrated with Osaka for constantly hyping herself up before Cirstea’s serves. However, the tensions flared up when the Romanian player called out the issue during the deciding set. Trailing at 4-2, she complained to the chair umpire that Osaka’s loudly hyping herself was distracting her. But the umpire didn’t validate her complaint.
Djokovic’s wife, Jelena, wasn’t very happy about the ruling and fired back both at the player and the umpire for letting the “disrespectful” tactic pass.
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“Hmm, I’m surprised that this is not being called a hindrance. In between 2 serves, when crowds are applauding or shouting, the chair ump asks not shout between serves as it is disturbing to the player. The point is not finished. Sorana missed her first serve and is focusing on getting in the second. It is a slight pause. And it is disrespectful to applaud at someone’s first serve mistake, too. I am surprised that chair/ Naomi thought that was fair ?! Were there any rule changes that I missed?”
🚨 Jelena Djokovic on the Osaka – Sorana controversy yesterday :
“I can’t believe both chair umpire and Osaka thought it was fair to shout between first and second serve. It was disrespectful…and rule is you can’t applaud a fault, are the rules changed ?” pic.twitter.com/EflspHdNr6
— SK (@Djoko_UTD) January 23, 2026
While neither Osaka herself nor the umpire saw any fault in the former’s celebratory loud shoutings, Cirstea didn’t exit the court without getting her feelings known. While the handshakes after games are perfunctory, the added spice to the Day 5. story, Cirstea let both her opponent and the umpire know that it was unfair. However, to make things worse, Osaka carried the salty exchange in her postgame on-court interview.
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Naomi Osaka takes a dig at Sorana Cirstea after a salty exchange
Osaka has rarely found herself in controversy. However, Day 5 at the Australian Open was unlike any other she had experienced. Cirstea called her out for something that she didn’t think was unlawful, and was green-lighted by the chair umpire.
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“You ask me why? Because, my friend, you don’t know what fair play is,” Cristea was heard saying to Osaka after the quick handshake. “You’ve been playing tennis for so long, and you don’t know what fair play is.”
The Japanese tennis star was also not happy about the unpleasant handshake and exchange after the game. It seemed like she carried it to her postgame interview. When asked what it took for her to beat the Romanian tennis player, Osaka instead took a shot at Cristea. “Apparently, a lot of ‘Come-ons’ that she was angry about, but whatever,” she said, as the crowd reacted with a big laugh.
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However, she clarified in her interview later that the “first couple things I said on the court were disrespectful. I don’t like disrespecting people. That’s not what I do.” Osaka, who will now face Maddison Inglis in the third round of the tournament, also added later that she wasn’t trying to “distract” her opponent, but just hyping herself up.
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