"I forgot to smile, I was panicking" - When Naomi Osaka was 'very shocked' by her maiden Australian Open title triumph

Naomi Osaka Australian Open
Naomi Osaka has won the Australian Open twice | Image Source: Getty

Naomi Osaka’s triumph at the 2019 Australian Open marked her second Grand Slam title, a milestone she deeply cherished. However, she later revealed that the win also left her feeling anxious and overwhelmed as she struggled to come to terms with her success.

As a reigning Grand Slam champion, Osaka arrived in Melbourne with the weight of high expectations. Renowned for her dominance on hardcourts, she overcame several hurdles before finally lifting the coveted trophy.

The Japanese later admitted to the media that she felt "shocked" after her victory and struggled to process that she had actually won. She shared that she even "forgot to smile" while receiving the trophy from Li Na and couldn’t recall the notes she had prepared for her speech.

“I still feel very shocked,” Naomi Osaka said. “[At the end] I felt like the match wasn’t completely done but it was done. It’s one of those moments where you are fighting so hard and then when it’s finally over, you’re still in the state of competition.”
“I forgot to smile. I was told to smile. I was panicking,” she added.

Osaka's journey to the title saw her defeat Magda Linette, Tamara Zidansek, Hsieh Su-wei, Anastasija Sevastova, Elina Svitolina, Karolina Pliskova, and Petra Kvitova in the final. The win made her World No. 1 and the first player since Jennifer Capriati to win her first two Majors back-to-back, following her US Open triumph the year before.

Naomi Osaka won Australian Open again in 2021

Naomi Osaka pictured at the 2021 Australian Open | Image Source: Getty
Naomi Osaka pictured at the 2021 Australian Open | Image Source: Getty

Naomi Osaka’s title defense at the 2020 Australian Open ended in disappointment as she fell to a then-rising talent Coco Gauff in the third round. However, she bounced back in spectacular fashion the following year, reclaiming her throne in Melbourne.

Interestingly, Li Na again presented Osaka with the trophy this time. The latter admitted she felt very "shocked" to see the former there and even wanted to "cry" a little but managed to hold back her tears.

"I didn't expect to see her there,” Osaka told the media in 2021. “At first I was very shocked. I wanted to cry a little bit, but I didn't want to cry on this, like, podium. So, yeah, I was really touched. I just felt really honored, I don't know, that she was giving me this trophy."

The former World No. 1 triumphed over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Caroline Garcia, Ons Jabeur, Garbine Muguruza, Hsieh Su-wei, Serena Williams, and Jennifer Brady to lift the trophy in Melbourne once again.

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Edited by Pritha Ghosh
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