Japanese teen Naomi Osaka opened her shattered emotions for all to see Saturday after a third-round loss to 418th-ranked Estonian qualifier Kaia Kanepi at the US Open.
The 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 loss left the 19-year-old of Haitian and Japanese descent wiping away tears after her fifth third-round exit in seven Grand Slam starts.
“I was more emotionally unstable,” Osaka said. “She would be more positive than negative. She didn’t have any outbursts or anything, and I had a lot.”
Asked about her troubles, Osaka began crying and said, “Oh, this sucks.”
Osaka, who eliminated defending champion Angelique Kerber in the first round, could only ponder what might have been.
“I have a lot of regrets. That’s the number one reason I’m so upset, but I can’t really change it now,” Osaka said.
“I don’t think I was playing good at all. I just really wanted to go to the fourth round.”
Osaka confessed she stretched her hopes and dreams after ousting Kerber.
“I think I stressed myself a little bit after playing Kerber and I just had more expectations with myself,” Osaka said.
“I didn’t play as good. In my match against Kerber, I played really well, and I just didn’t feel the same level my last two matches. Sorry.”
“The next Grand Slams, if I happen to beat a really good player, I’m just going to take that one match at a time and just play within myself.”
Kanepi won 6-of-11 break points and denied Osaka on 7-of-12 break chances.
“My serve isn’t supposed to be broken that easily,” Osaka said. “I think my forehands were soft and she was able to attack them. Apparently I played too defensively toward the end. That’s what made the difference.”
