Osaka blames it on her nerves, not Serena

World
Europe

After winning the emotionally-charged US Open final against Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka has finally broken her silence on breaking down into tears following her epic title triumph at Flushing Meadows. The Japanese tennis ace has blamed her shredded nerves and her natural awkwardness for her tears, rather than blaming the tantrum thrown by Williams that overshadowed her historic win.

Although the sobbing 20-year-old melted many hearts following her emphatic 6-2, 6-4 thrashing of Williams, Osaka has refused to blame her childhood idol, who called chair umpire Carlos Ramos a “thief” in an extraordinary rant triggered by a code violation for coaching that culminated in a docked game.

A tearful Naomi Osaka being congratulated by Serena Williams following her 2018 US Open triumph at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Sept. 8, 2018. /VCG File Photo

“I feel like there was just a lot of emotions,” Osaka said in Tokyo today. “I couldn't really pinpoint it at the time, I just felt very overwhelmed.” The row that erupted between Williams and Ramos polarized opinion and sparked a debate about sexism in tennis after the American fumed that the umpire would not have treated a male player in the same fashion.

Osaka has stayed above the fray since becoming Japan's first Grand Slam singles champion but her tears at the trophy presentation provoked an outpouring of sympathy. “I'm grateful that people care or sympathize but I don't really think there was anything to be sad about,” said Osaka, who has risen from 19th to seventh in the new world rankings.

US Open champion Naomi Osaka of Japan answers questions during a press conference for the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo. /VCG Photo

“I don't feel like I would've liked to savor the moment more -- I think I do things my own way and everyone is different in their own way so I don't really have any regrets.”

Earlier, the daughter of a Haitian father and Japanese mother who was raised in the United States, apologized to Williams for dashing her hopes of a record-equaling 24th Grand Slam singles crown before almost dropping the trophy.

However, Osaka pointed to her nervous demeanour after winning her maiden WTA title at Indian Wells in March, where she blurted out: “Hi, I'm Naomi ... this is probably going to be the worst acceptance speech of all time.”

Speaking before this week's Pan Pacific Open, she quipped: “I'm kind of notorious -- I'm not that great at trophy ceremonies. Even in Indian Wells it was a little bit different I guess from everyone else.”

Osaka's stardust is set to boost ticket sales for the Pan Pacific tournament, where top seed Caroline Wozniacki is chasing a hat-trick of titles -- the Dane also beat Osaka in the 2016 Tokyo final.

(With AFP input)