“I don’t think I’m the type of player that would hang around,” Naomi Osaka said, amid a poor run of results last year. Ever since her comeback in 2024, the Japanese star has failed to replicate the form she showed during her Grand Slam-winning days. But if there’s one thing about Osaka, it’s that she’s not quitter. She is giving her all and has another chance to make a comeback ahead of the all-important Wimbledon Championships.

Yesterday, Osaka lost in the first round of the Berlin Grass Court Championships. It was a disappointing loss for Osaka against Liudmila Samsonova after winning the first set. The tournament in Germany was the perfect chance for Osaka to emerge from her disappointing French Open campaign, where she lost in the opening round against Paula Badosa. However, she fell in the opening hurdle in Berlin but has another shot at redemption.

Osaka will play in the Bad Homburg Open after receiving a wild card entry into the tournament. The WTA 500 tournament is the final warm-up tournament for the Wimbledon Championships and will provide the Japanese star with valuable match practice as she sets her sights on the grass-court Grand Slam event. Originally, this tournament wasn’t on Osaka’s calendar, but her early exit in Berlin meant that she was in need of further warmup matches ahead of Wimbledon. However, it won’t be a cakewalk for Osaka at the Bad Homburg Open, with stars like Mirra Andreeva and Paula Badosa also participating.

With the early loss in Berlin, Osaka is yet to win a match on grass this season, but American legend Andy Roddick can’t see why Osaka can’t perform well on grass. Talking about this, he said, “There’s no reason why [Osaka] can’t play well on grass. I think she needs to focus on that first-strike tennis, maybe move her serve around a little it more and take some chances on the second serve so her movement doesn’t get a chance to get exposed as often.”

Meanwhile, the French Open and the Wimbledon Championships are two of the major trophies missing from Osaka’s cabinet. During an interview, she opened up about her biggest career goal.

Naomi Osaka wants to complete a career Grand Slam

The Japanese star has found much success on the hard court, winning the Australian Open and the US Open twice. However, she has struggled on clay and grass, something which she is looking to change in the coming years. Nonetheless, her immediate goal remains winning the upcoming Wimbledon Championships.

Talking about what she wants to achieve in the remaining half of her career, Osaka said, “I have a lot of goals going forward. For as long as I can play, I really want to win Wimbledon and Roland Garros (the French Open) and get a career Grand Slam. It’s interesting when I hear from an outside perspective because, of course, all of the achievements (I’ve had so far) are great, but I always feel like there’s a lot more to do.”

Given Osaka’s recent form, it would be easier said than done, with stars like Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff among the favorites to win the title. In order to achieve the ultimate dream, Naomi Osaka will have to take it one step at a time and focus on the upcoming tournament, that is the Bad Homburg Open.