Naomi Osaka didn't have the best time at the Miami Open, but she was quite grateful for the support she received at the event.
Osaka just played her best event of 2024 at the Indian Wells Open, where she won a couple of matches. She looked confident and comfortable, so fans assumed that the Miami Open could go even better.
It didn't quite go that way, though. After a good start, the Japanese player ran into Caroline Garcia and lost once more. It was the third time they played against each other this year and the second time Osaka lost.
The loss was devastating for her, she admitted in an Instagram post, in which she reflected on her time in Miami and her tennis at the Miami Open.
"Honestly really devastated to have lost but extremely grateful and thankful for the support, it was so fun to play in an atmosphere like this again. I'm excited to see how far I can go and where life takes me."
"I think my second match was definitely the best match I've played so far and I hope I can play many more matches like that in the future. Hitting on clay now and it's different but fun, let's see what's happens."
Next up is the clay-court part of the season, and that's a pretty interesting challenge for Osaka. She was never the best performer on clay and generally hasn't played much on the surface, but she also promised a few years ago to work really hard on it.
With the Olympics played on clay this year as well, Osaka certainly has an added motivation to do well in preparation for that event. The most important thing for her seems to be her commitment to the sport, which seems present this year.