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USA Today via Reuters

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USA Today via Reuters

It is not the start Naomi Osaka was looking for. She made a comeback earlier this month after being away from tennis due to her pregnancy. The Japanese tennis star missed the entire 2023 season, giving birth to her first child, Shai, in July last year. While she lost in the second round of her comeback tournament in Brisbane, her Australian Open stint ended in the first round itself. And to make matters worse, she is facing heat from fans following her exit from the tournament.

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Despite training hard, Osaka’s much-awaited comeback was cut short by France’s Caroline Garcia. In a match lasting just under an hour and a half, Garcia got the better of Osaka in straight sets 6-4, 7-6 (2). Subsequently, a video went viral to which the fans reacted angrily.

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What did Naomi Osaka do?

The Japanese star is a fashion icon on and off the court. Often, she is spotted wearing trendy outfits at the tournaments. During her first-round match against Garcia, she could be seen wearing a golden jacket that caught social media attention. The official Instagram handle of the Australian Open then shared a video of Osaka with that jacket.

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However, in that video, the 26-year-old looked rather disinterested. Going by the magnitude of the occasion, it didn’t go down well with fans, who were hoping to see Osaka put on a good show. As a result, she faced wrath from fans for her looks.

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Fans react as Osaka’s reaction goes viral

As soon as the official Instagram handle of the Australian Open shared the video of Osaka, it went viral and thousands of fans reacted to it. One of the fans said, “Always looks down in the dumps.” Similarly, another fan wasn’t happy with her body language, saying, “She thinks she‘s it all. She thinks she‘s the star of stars and that everyone else is just boring.”

DIVE DEEPER: Comeback Bound Naomi Osaka Opens Up on Her New Dream Ahead of Much-Anticipated Return to Tennis

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Further, one Instagram user added, “Sorry to say but she seems lethargic, uninterested all the time.” Another fan added, “She always looks bored.” Lastly, one of her fans pointed out, “Low energy.”

Naomi Osaka will look to reflect on her today’s performance and take out the positives from this match. Can she come back strongly in the upcoming tournaments? Let us know your views in the comments below.

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WATCH THIS STORY: 18-Year-Old Coco Gauff Dreams To Replicate Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka’s Fashion Feat in an Unexpected Fan Confession

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Vatsal Shah

3,705 Articles

Vatsal Shah is a tennis journalist at EssentiallySports, covering ATP and WTA storylines from the ES Trends Desk since 2023. He delivers breaking insights on major tournaments and player arcs, decoding tactical shifts and viral moments into accessible takeaways for fans worldwide. His coverage of Taylor Townsend’s Dubai title win stood out for capturing both the emotional significance of her victory and the context of her comeback.

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Shudh.mukherjee

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