In March 2022, Naomi Osaka’s flood of tears at Indian Wells triggered shockwaves around the tennis world. The Japanese icon started crying after being heckled by a fan during her second-round encounter against Veronika Kudermetova. Not long after, Osaka approached the chair umpire, and in an unprecedented series of events, started addressing those in attendance right in the middle of the match. Ultimately, Osaka exited the tournament, but the incident went on to live long in the memory.

Many experts slammed the fan’s disrespectful behavior. However, at the same time, they believed that Osaka’s inability to maintain her composure also led to her tearful reaction. Questions swirled surrounding Osaka’s mental health, but in a glimpse from her 2024 Australian Open first-round encounter against Caroline Garcia, it seems that the Japanese star’s ability to cope with pressure has drastically evolved.

Naomi Osaka’s studious avatar surfaces at the Australian Open

Ahead of Osaka’s return to the Australian Open, a tournament she has won twice in the past, there was naturally a lot of hype. After all, Osaka has been one of women’s tennis’ most marketable names in recent years. On top of that, she was returning to tennis months after becoming a mother.

Unfortunately, despite the resounding hype, Osaka looked quite rusty during her first-round match against French star Caroline Garcia. The Frenchwoman clinched the first set 6-4 in comfortable fashion. While Osaka did make more of an effort in the second set, Garcia was unrelenting, and the tension seemed palpable. Fans who remember Osaka’s Indian Wells breakdown may have thought something similar would happen. However, Osaka surprised everyone during a change of ends, as she sat down, took a deep breath, and started reading a book.

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It gave a fascinating insight into the evolution of Naomi Osaka’s mind. From a star who couldn’t seem to deal with the pressures of professional tennis, she seems to have turned a corner. Ultimately though, Osaka’s studious avatar that allowed her to find solitude didn’t do much in terms of turning the match her way.

Naomi Osaka Breaks Past Trauma With a Solitary Move to Silence the Deafening Noise at the Australian Open

Caroline Garcia stays strong as Naomi Osaka’s grit falls short

Osaka’s game in the second set seemed more familiar to what her fans know she can do on a tennis court. However, despite her courageous display, Garcia was in no mood to give in. As a result, the second set went to a tiebreaker. Osaka would have hoped for Garcia’s game to drop, but the Frenchwoman showed her class as she dominated the Japanese and ultimately won the set 7-6 after winning the tiebreaker 7-2.

For Osaka, the hype surrounding her comeback hasn’t quite translated to results so far. She exited the Brisbane International a fortnight ago in the second round, and now, she finds herself dumped out of the Australian Open. Now, the question is; where does Naomi Osaka go from here? Let us know your opinions on Osaka’s future in the comments.

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