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Naomi Osaka of Japan hugs Serena Williams of the United States after winning the Women’s Singles finals match on Day Thirteen of the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 8, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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Naomi Osaka of Japan hugs Serena Williams of the United States after winning the Women’s Singles finals match on Day Thirteen of the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 8, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Serena Williams has always been an inspiration not only to youngsters but also to the generation of superstars coming up. Just to play against her is like a dream for many players as the Queen of Tennis has inspired an entire generation. In a recent interview, Naomi Osaka talked about how it was like to face Williams in a Grand Slam final.
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“You know, that’s always a dream as a kid,. For me, I have always wanted to play Serena in a Grand Slam final and it was crazy when it happened,” told a cheerful Osaka in the interview.
Osaka definitely expressed her emotions in the statement. It was her dream to play against Williams right from when she was a kid. One could imagine how happy the 3-time Grand Slam winner would be after defeating her idol.
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Serena Williams of the U.S. reacts during her first-round match against Kristie Ahn of the U.S. |REUTERS
Naomi Osaka met Williams in the finals of the US Open 2018. While the 20-year-old Osaka was playing for her maiden Grand Slam title, it was a chance for Williams to equalize Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam titles. However, the Arthur Ashe Stadium something phenomenal and historic that day. Naomi Osaka thrashed Serena Williams in straight sets to win her first Grand Slam title. She defeated Williams 6-2, 6-4.
Read More: “People compared my sister and me to Venus and Serena”- Naomi Osaka
“Biggest Goal was to take care of my family”- Naomi Osaka
In the interview, there was a question that what was the biggest goal for Naomi Osaka. Although she believed that playing against Williams was her dream, she denied that it was the most important thing for her.
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Naomi Osaka of Japan celebrates with the championship trophy after her match against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus (not pictured) in the women’s singles final on day thirteen of the 2020 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. |REUTERS
“I would say the biggest goal was to take care of my family. And, everything else was sort of a consequence of that. I don’t know for me, I have always had this great feeling of wanting to take care of my parents, to make sure they are okay…Hopefully, I’ll keep going in that direction,” added the 23-year-old Japanese player.
Osaka’s statements revealed what her parents meant to her and how much she used to love them. She last played a match at the finals of the US Open 2020 after which she caught an injury. Fans hope to see her back on the court at the Australian Open 2021 and lift her fourth Grand Slam title there.
