Naomi Osaka (left) and Victoria Azarenka in the US Open final. (Photo credit: US Open Twitter)
US Open: Naomi Osaka humorously expressed how difficult the battle with Victoria Azarenka was in the final.
- News18 Sports New Delhi
- Last update: September 13, 2020 4:53 am IST
- FOLLOW US:
Naomi osaka She is known for her direct, funny, and straightforward statements from the heart. Even after a grueling battle in the US Open women’s singles final with Victoria Azarenka, she did not lose her humorous side. Osaka, after her victory fighting 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 against the Belarusian, joked that she did not want to play any more finals with Azarenka.
Osaka and Azarenka were supposed to play the final of the Western & Southern Open two weeks ago before the Japanese withdrew with a hamstring injury. As fate would have it, the moment was recreated on an even bigger stage, as both women reached the final at Flushing Meadows. The battle between Osaka and Azarenka was expected to be tough and did not disappoint.
Azarenka started the match high by knocking down Osaka, who just couldn’t find any kind of rhythm. However, midway through the second set, he raised his level to begin marching forward. Despite Azarenka continuing to fight, including a break in the decider, Osaka maintained his level and claimed his second US Open trophy and a third Grand Slam title.
During the presentation, Azarenka congratulated Osaka on the victory and said: “I hope we can meet again in some more finals.”
And so when Osaka got to the mic, he congratulated Azarenka as well, but joked that he didn’t want to play any more finals with her. “Actually, I don’t want to play with you in more finals. I didn’t really enjoy that. It was a very difficult match for me,” she said.
US Open, Naomi Osaka vs Victoria Azarenka: REPORT | HIGHLIGHT
However, he later said how inspiring it was to play against Azarenka at Arthur Ashe Stadium. “It’s really inspiring for me because I used to watch you play here when I was younger. So to have the opportunity to play with you is really great and I learned a lot, so thank you.”
There was another humorous moment from Osaka when asked why, after the victory and the net exchange with Azarenka, he returned to the court and lay with his back to the court.
“I always see everyone collapse after match point, but I always think ‘you can get hurt’ so I wanted to do it safely,” he said.
.
