Lost In The Indian Well Tennis Tournament And Is Mocked By The Crowd, Naomi Osaka Cries
JAKARTA - Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka burst into tears after her journey was stopped by Veronika Kudermetova 6-0 6-4 in the second round of Indian Wells, Saturday local time or Sunday 13 March WIB.
Japan's Osaka, who is ranked 78th in the world after being knocked out in the third round of the Australian Open, was shaken early in the first set when someone in the crowd shouted "Naomi, you suck."
He was unable to convince the referee to take action, and at 0-3 his emotions spilled over.
Osaka quickly calmed down and resumed the match, but although she stepped up her game in the second set, she was unable to take on Kudermetova, this year's finalist in the Melbourne Summer Set and in Dubai.
Osaka put the athlete's mental health in the spotlight in 2021 where she revealed she was suffering from depression.
However, speaking on the court after the match, he said he cried not because he found the comments hurtful that irritated him, but because it reminded him of Venus and Serena Williams who were booed at Indian Wells in 2001.
"To be honest I feel like I've been ridiculed before, it doesn't bother me too much," Osaka said.
"But, I watched a video of Venus and Serena being booed here."
"If you haven't watched it, you have to watch it," he added, bursting into tears again before congratulating Kudermetova on her win and leaving the pitch.
Kudermetova, who had been looking forward to the first meeting of her career with Osaka, said she didn't know what the crowd was saying, she only knew her opponent was upset.
"I didn't hear what the woman said because I was so focused on my game, on my serve, I didn't understand what she was saying."
"But after that, I saw Naomi, she started crying. I don't understand what happened."
With Naomi Osaka's loss, the women's party at the prestigious WTA hardcourt and ATP Masters tournaments lost yet another big name. Previously Asleigh Barty and Aryna Sabalenka were also eliminated.