Naomi Osaka at the Olympics: ‘I’m Happy Again’
Naomi Osaka spoke after winning her first match in two months: “The Olympics has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, so I feel like the break that I took was very needed.”
TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images
Two months ago, Naomi Osaka took a break from competition after quitting the French Open amid an uproar over her refusal to do media interviews. But the tennis star, who revealed she suffered from “bouts of depression,” is back in a big way. Representing Japan at the Olympics, she won her first match on Sunday and, more surprisingly, spoke with reporters afterward.
“The Olympics has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, so I feel like the break that I took was very needed. I feel definitely a little bit refreshed, and I’m happy again,” Osaka said. She conceded that it was tough being back in the game after her withdrawal. “There's nothing wrong with my body; I just felt really nervous,” she said. "I haven’t played since France, so there were definitely some things that I did a bit wrong, but I think I can improve in the matches that I continue playing.”
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