Naomi Osaka opens up about US Open loss: ‘I feel like my heart dies every time I lose’ | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka says it was “a little bit difficult” to be knocked out in the second round of the 2024 US Open.

“It’s been a little bit difficult because I can only go by the results, of course,” Osaka said, according to ESPN. “I feel faster. I feel better, but I lost in the second round. … Yeah, it’s a little bit difficult because I take these losses really personally.

“It’s a dramatic word, but I feel like my heart dies every time I lose. It’s very bad, but I’ve tried to be more mature and learn more about it and talk about it.”

The two-time US Open champion lost 6-3, 7-6 (5) to Karolina Muchova in her return to the event for the first time since 2022.

After a strong start, Osaka lost five games in a row to Muchova and conceded the first set, before losing the tiebreak in the second set.

“I think I got nervous during the stressful moments. I don’t know if I should just keep playing more matches and get used to that feeling, especially on such a big stage,” Osaka said, according to ESPN.

She added: “Honestly, if I get over the disappointment, I’m quite proud of myself for having been given so many chances and still feeling like I could have played a lot better.”

Osaka returned to the tennis court in January after nearly a year and a half away, focusing on her mental health and giving birth to her daughter in July last year.

Recent tournament results include a first-round exit at the 2024 Paris Olympics in July and a qualifying round loss at the Cincinnati Masters earlier this month.

Osaka said on Instagram after her elimination in Cincinnati that she felt disconnected from her body, in a way she compared to “life after giving birth.”

She came back to celebrate a strong start to the US Open after beating No. 10 Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 6-2, her first win over a top-10 player in four years.

Osaka will now hope to build on her first-round victory as she hopes to return to the dominant form that saw her win the US Open in 2018 and 2020.