Controversial scenes in Auckland overshadowed Naomi Osaka’s incredible start to the 2025 season! The four-time Grand Slam champion suffered an injury in October this year during the China Open. So, her 2024 season ended abruptly. All she wanted was to start her 2025 campaign on a positive note and guess what? She didn’t disappoint her fans! Osaka defeated the Israeli qualifier, Lina Glushk 6-4,6-4 in the first round. However, the match was struck by controversy as protestors gathered outside center court at the ASB Tennis Center. What was the protest for and did Naomi Osaka give any reaction to that?

Besides early-season nerves, Naomi Osaka had to deal with a lot of things in this match. From swirling wind to the constant noise from a group of pro-Palestine protesters outside the Manuka Doctor arena, Osaka had to deal with a lot of things on Monday. Speaking about those moments, the Japanese said, “I always expect nerves, the first match of the tournament or the first match of the season, and everyone feels that way, so it’s quite normal.” After that, she also highlighted the windy conditions by saying, “It’s definitely a little difficult. Especially since you can’t predict which direction the wind is going, but I feel like if I’m struggling with it, my opponent is too, so I can’t make any excuses.“

What did Naomi Osaka say about the protest during her match against Glushko, though? We saw the match being momentarily stopped in the first set as the Israeli tennis player was seen having a discussion with the umpire about the situation. However, the match was restarted a few moments later! What was the protest for? Well, the group was seen protesting the presence of Lina Glushko. Why? Like most in her country, even Glushko has served in the Israel Defense Force. She has often voiced her support for Israel amid its conflict with Gaza.

Who’s Lina Glushko? For those who are unaware, Glushko’s parents are originally from Ukraine but they moved to Israel before she was born. She’s the younger sister of the former WTA player, Julia Glushko. In this match, Lina Glushko didn’t seem to be too much affected by what was going on outside, but she did struggle to cope with Naomi Osaka’s firepower. What was Osaka’s reaction to the anti-Israel protests during the match? “I just heard a lot of shouting and then people on the sidelines were telling me there was a protest,” said the Japanese.

Has Lina Glushko ever made any comments on this controversial topic though? Well, as previously during an interview, the Israeli tennis player stated, “In these tough days, what my country is going through I can’t be more proud and happy to play with the Israeli flag next to my name and win matches.” How did she play against the former world number one, though? What does Naomi Osaka have to say about Lina Glushko’s performance?

“She’s an amazing opponent” – Naomi Osaka heaps praise on her Israeli opponent

Lina Glushko who is currently ranked 220 in the world is the only Israeli who is ranked inside the Top 500 for either ATP or WTA! How was her performance against someone as experienced as Naomi Osaka? Well, here’s how the Japanese briefly summed up her match against the Israeli. Naomi Osaka said, “I’m really happy to be back. I definitely think she’s an amazing opponent. I had never played her before. It was good to have to scrap for the first round. I had no idea what the score was most of the time. I just kept trying to tell myself one point at a time and trying not to get discouraged. Thankfully it came out in my favor in the end.” 

She has now got the start she’d have wanted, now the question is can she find a bit of momentum? Naomi Osaka played 38 matches last season and won 21 out of them! Despite showcasing a bit of flare in some of the matches, she failed to clinch a title in the last season. How does she look at the run in 2024, though? “I think 2024 humbled me, but I also feel like I grew a lot. I worked way harder than I’ve ever worked before. So in that, I guess it was very painful to not get the results I wanted, but I feel like I’m growing and learning and I am really excited for (2025),” said Osaka.

Osaka recently made a change in her coaching team. She parted ways with her long-time coach Wim Fissette and brought in Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou. What does the new coach think about her chances in 2025? “She’s extremely motivated to come back and win Grand Slams,” said the Frenchman. Do you think Naomi Osaka can really win a major title in 2025?