With just 1 win out of 4 matches, Naomi Osaka couldn’t start 2024 on a high note. Her comeback struggles are still continuing as she tripped at her first hurdle in the Abu Dhabi Open recently. Most tennis fans raised their doubts after seeing the disappointing results so far in her comeback season. However, the former English tennis player, Mark Petchey, thinks that the situation is ‘very tricky’ at the moment. 

America’s Danielle Collins defeated her 7-5,6-0 in a 1 hour and 23 minutes encounter at the first round of the Abu Dhabi Open. Bringing in a different perspective, Petchey defended the former world no. 1. 

Mark Petchey heaps praise on Caroline Garcia’s performance against Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open this year

Naomi Osaka returned last month after a 15-month-long absence from the tour due to her pregnancy. The 26YO tennis player gave birth to her daughter, Shai in July last year. Since then, Osaka has been trying her best to make her comeback journey successful, but she looks far away from getting things right at the moment. However, Petchey believes that there is still hope. 

Mark Petchey said, “Absolutely, I think so as well and having watched her play and looking at the kind of people that she has played in her comeback. That’s very tricky for her at the moment. Garcia in Melbourne takes your time away. And, having sat there watching the match, I felt that was Garcia’s one of the best performances that she can play and when she’s in that high progressive.“

He further added, “Danielle Collins says I need to lean. Other than leaning, she leans in full-stop. And when she does that I think that’s a very tough transition for Naomi at this stage of her comeback personally.” What did Naomi Osaka say after the match? Let’s find out.

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Osaka says she was trying not to feel ‘like a failure’

Naomi Osaka opened up about her thoughts after her disappointing loss at the Abu Dhabi Open on Tuesday. She said, “I say some pretty harsh words about myself. I know the word, but if I say it, it sounds really bad. I felt a little like a ‘failure’, but I don’t want to be too harsh. I’m less confident but I’m not too unconfident to think that I can’t play really good tennis.“

She added, “Everyone around me is telling me I’m playing well and I don’t think I’m playing bad. I just need to believe in myself more and I think as soon as I got broken my belief dipped a lot.“ Fans are now hoping to see the vintage Osaka as soon as possible. Can Naomi Osaka manage to clinch her 5th major title this year?

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