Naomi Osaka: Serena Williams Win Promising, Expectations 'Don't Bother Me'

Naomi Osaka shot into tennis stardom when she defeated Serena Williams in the final of the 2018 US Open. She became the first Japanese player to win a singles Grand Slam title in what was a controversial final that saw the American label chair umpire Carlos Ramos “a liar and a thief”.

The 21-year-old backed up her credentials when she won 2019’s first major – the Australian Open – but went off the boil after that with a poor run for the rest of the European season. Osaka claimed the top ranking in women’s singles during the course of the season but had to wait until the Japan Open for her next win of the season.

The Japanese women’s tennis player admitted that her win over Williams was very promising at the start of her career and revealed that she was ready to handle the expectations. Osaka admitted to struggling with the expectations after winning her second major more than when she won her first.

"Just to have that very early in my career is quite promising. I just hope I keep going,” Osaka said, as quoted on Tennis World USA. "I expected to win a Grand Slam when I was 18. You always have high goals. It doesn't really bother me anymore. I think it did right after I won the Australian Open.”

“But I am sort of adjusted to that now. I think that sort of privilege that people talk about you, I hope that I can keep that going."

Osaka is unbeaten in the Asian leg of the WTA tour having first won the Japan Open and then beating world No. 1 Ashley Barty to win the China Open On Sunday. The former world number one believes she is finding her best form and also indicated that she is not “stats oriented” anymore admitting that being on top of the rankings did get in her head a bit.

"Everyone knows that I started off really well in Australia and then had the dip in the Europe season. I think I am finding my form again, just being more confident, playing better and haven't lost a match in the Asian tournaments so far,” Osaka said.

"I honestly was counting the ranking points. I was too stats oriented after I won the Australian Open because there was this big thing about you're No. 1 now. Then I felt like I shouldn't lose a match after that. So, yeah, I think this dip that I had really humbled me. It made me very motivated to, like, be here right now, so..."