Naomi Osaka isn't one of the youngest players on the WTA Tour anymore, but even with her vast experience, the Japanese player doesn't want to give anybody advice.
Osaka emerged as a super-talented younger player who didn't have the best success early on in her career but quickly started to win important matches. She was still only 20 when she bested Serena Williams in the US Open final to win her maiden Grand Slam final.
That was a spectacular showing. In the following few years, Osaka added three more Grand Slams to her tally. She was projected to achieve a lot more in the future, but it didn't quite happen that way.
She started to struggle with her mental health, which kept her away from the sport. She then got pregnant, which further delayed her return to tennis, but it also motivated her to stick with it.
She has often spoken about how becoming a mother shifted her perspective and motivated her to work even harder to return to her best version. She simply wants to show her daughter that it's possible and what mom can do.
That's been happening this year, and while she's done well so far, Osaka is far from a player who considers herself somebody who has all the solutions. Even after so many years in tennis, she still finds challenges that she can't solve herself.
That's why she doesn't consider herself a good player to give advice. Ahead of the 2024 US Open, Osaka, was asked about giving Coco Gauff advice as the young American heads into the event as the title defender.
Osaka has experience with this, but she once again underlined what she said before—that she's not a good player to give advice to anybody.
"I'm laughing because I have been telling you guys for years, but I don't think anyone should take advice from me (smiling). I mean, I would say I think she's doing a great job. Like, she's really consistent. She's No. 2 right now, right? 3? That's still really good."
Gauff has been struggling lately. She hasn't played well since Wimbledon, which ended with a loss to Emma Navarro. Since then, she played at the Paris Olympics, which wasn't that great of a showing.
She then played in Toronto, and once again, she surprisingly lost. The most disappointing loss came in Cincinnati, after which she refused to talk to the media, something she'd never done before.
It clearly showed how frustrated she was. She played a horrible match, but Osaka thinks that last year's US Open winner is progressing in her career, which is true.
"I don't know. I just really enjoy watching her progress and her process. I feel like everyone's life is their own journey, and it's fun to watch hers. It's the most, like, basic advice, but yeah, she should just keep going. She's got a really good head on her shoulders."
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