Japan’s Naomi Osaka reacts after a point against Coco Gauff of the US during their women’s singles match on day five of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 24, 2020. (Photo by William WEST / AFP) /
Naomi Osaka said she had been overwhelmed by the pressure of defending her Australian Open title and admitted she does not have a “champion mentality” after losing to 15-year-old Coco Gauff on Friday.
The 22-year-old Japanese made the startling admission after a surprise 6-3, 6-4 third-round defeat to the unseeded American, a loss she said she took “very personally”.
The third seed said that she “loved” Gauff, but added: “You don’t want to lose to a 15-year-old.”
There was intense interest in the build-up to their second-ever match, which was touted as a glimpse into the future of women’s tennis.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Osaka crushed a tearful Gauff in the US Open third round, but the teenager — the youngest player in the…
Source: Guardian Newspaper
