Naomi Osaka was a huge favorite against Angelique Kerber at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but the Japanese player suffered a shock loss in straight sets, which she bemoaned after the match.
Osaka had an outstanding showing at Roland Garros two months ago, nearly beating Iga Swiatek in a match where she had match points. That's the main reason why many, including herself, had high expectations of her to do well at the Paris Olympics, where she got a decent draw.
Kerber was her first-round opponent. The German was a very good player at her peak, but that peak has long been gone. She's been playing far below that level this year so far and will retire from the sport after this event.
The match started positively for the Japanese player because, after five games, Osaka was up 3-2 and looked in control. She was aggressive and hitting well, with the serve doing decent damage as well.
It wasn't the best she could do, but initially, it started well, which she also told the media after the match, as she felt that she was able to play well early in the match.
"I thought I started really well, and, I don’t know, I feel like my serve could have been a lot better. When I was practicing, I felt the same way as well, but I feel that’s never an excuse to lose."
Osaka couldn't put any pressure on Kerber's serve, as she was stunned in only two sets of play. For a player with so much talent and hitting ability, not being able to create any pressure was a huge problem.
Some might say it was pressure, but she said after the match that she didn't feel that much pressure. She was more disappointed in her level after seeing what she could do on the surface earlier this year.
"It’s weird. I definitely felt more pressure during Tokyo but I also felt like my match (at the French Open) with Iga Swiatek was so good that I really believed I could do better. So I wouldn’t call it pressure, just more belief in myself in clay, which is new for me, but also was something that I was very happy with."
The Japanese player further admitted that she might need to figure out how to win again. It has been a while since she has done it consistently, and maybe she just has to find it again.
It is possible because the performance she put out against Kerber was not good enough. That won't get her back to the Top 10, nor will it win a Grand Slam again.
"I really felt like I was playing well (against Kerber) and I think from there, I just need to learn how to win. And maybe that’s something I forgot to do. Or maybe there are certain situations I don’t know how to play, and I have to just keep playing matches against really good players to relearn that."
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