MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australian Open defending champion Naomi Osaka on Saturday allayed fears about an belly harm that compelled the Japanese former world primary to withdraw from a tune-up occasion final week.
Playing her first event in 4 months in Melbourne, the 24-year-old received three matches within the WTA 250 occasion however then withdrew ahead of her semi-final, elevating doubts about her preparations for her title defence at Melbourne Park.
“I heal fairly quick,” Osaka informed reporters with a smile. “I’m pretty much as good as I will be on this present second.
“But I additionally assume athletes, we now have niggles on a regular basis. It’s form of unimaginable to play a Slam with out feeling one thing. I’m simply conscious of that and I’m conscious that you would be able to’t be excellent on a regular basis.”
Osaka struggled for type final 12 months after withdrawing from the French Open in May following a row with event organisers over required media appearances, which she stated had a destructive impression on her psychological well being.
After shedding within the third spherical of the U.S. Open in September, Osaka took a break from the game.
“I used to be a bit nervous about how I might play after being on the break,” Osaka stated, including that she was taking a bit of a unique method from her earlier makes an attempt to defend a serious title.
Osaka by no means went past the fourth spherical in any of her three prior Grand Slam title defences.
“I discovered with each match that I performed. For me, that was crucial half. Hopefully I’m capable of apply the issues I discovered from the primary event into the Australian Open.”
All 4 of Osaka’s main titles have come on hardcourts and she’s going to kick off her Melbourne Park marketing campaign in opposition to 53rd-ranked Columbian Camila Osorio.
Deeper into the draw, she may face world primary and residential favorite Ash Barty within the fourth spherical however Osaka was decided to not factor that far ahead.
“Please do not inform me,” stated Osaka, placing her hand as much as interrupt a reporter’s query earlier than bursting into laughter. “I’m the sort of particular person that does not have a look at the draw. I solely have a look at the particular person I’m going to play.
“I used to be actually out someplace yesterday and somebody informed me about Barty. I’m simply attempting to get previous the primary spherical.”
Osaka described Barty because the “excellent primary”.
“She’s so constant. She’s at all times so optimistic. Her and her coach, they’re at all times very nice to everybody that I can see. So, yeah, I actually like her lots.”
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
