Naomi Osaka tries to completely turn the page on the sad episode she suffered during the last WTA 1,000 in Indian Wells, where a fan yelled at her in the middle of the match and causing the Japanese tennis player to cry, who collapsed and ended up losing the match.
Osaka, who debuted with victory against the Australian Astra Sharma, admitted at a press conference that she has once again resorted to a psychologist to prevent this type of episode from repeating itself. “I don’t know if I should say it, but I finally started talking to a psychologist after what happened in Indian Wells. I came back a year after what happened in Roland Garros. I realized how useful it is And I’m proud to have people around me who told me to go in that direction.”
Osaka confessed that she has made this decision after the recommendation of her team and especially her sister Mari, who was very worried after the Indian Wells episode. “I decided to talk to a psychologist because my sister Mari seemed very worried about me. I feel like I had to try other things because I tend to internalize everything, and I also want to do everything that is best for myself. My coach, Wim Fissette, has put me on the right path. It was like hiring a tennis coach to take care of your well-being as well. The mind is a big thing. If you can get even 0.5% help from a professional, that’s worth it.”
The Japanese tennis player also confessed that she collapsed in Indian Wells because she had never been through a situation like that, although she assures that she is already prepared in case it happens again. “I had never faced a situation like the one I experienced in Indian Wells. I had never been bothered in the middle of a game. I had been booed but never said something like that in such a direct way. That made me freak out. I feel that now I am prepared and I face the games with the precaution that it can happen. I needed to change my mindset a bit.”