"I didn’t have a problem with the crowd at all" - Naomi Osaka contradicts Iga Swiatek's complaints about disruptive 'screams' in French Open 2R battle

Naomi Osaka contradicted Iga Swiatek's stance of asking the crowd to be quieter during the matches after their epic match at the 2024 French Open. Swiatek expressed her opinions to the crowd at the on-court interview.

Swiatek and Osaka faced each other in a blockbuster second-round match that lived up to its hype. After many twists and turns, it was the Pole who came through 7-6(1), 1-6, 7-5 in two hours and 57 minutes. After the match, Swiatek asked the crowd to not scream during the rally as it made it difficult for players to focus.

Though she was a bit apprehensive to bring this up, she said it was important to voice this out as the players had a lot on the line and a few points here and there could change a lot of things.

"I have huge respect for you guys and I know we are playing for you, but sometimes under a lot of pressure when you scream something during the rally, it’s really hard to be focused," the World No. 1 said.

"I usually don’t bring this up because I want to be a player that’s in the zone and focused. But this is serious for us. We’re fighting our whole lives to be better and better. Sometimes it’s hard to accept that. The stakes are big. There’s a lot of money to win. Losing a few points may change a lot," she added.

The Pole continued and hoped that the crowd still loved her as she loved them.

"Please, guys, if you can support us between the rallies but not during, that would be great. I hope you’re still gonna like me because I know French crowd might get some players they don’t like and boo. But I love you guys and always love playing here, so let’s continue that."

Naomi Osaka was asked to relfect on Swiatek's opinion, during the post-match press conference, to which she had contrasting views. The Japanese said that she was used to the New York crowd so she didn't mind the crowd in Paris and rather found them cool.

“I thought the crowd was really cool. These are the moments for what I work for. I didn’t have a problem with the crowd at all. But I’m used to the New York crowd,” Osaka said.

"I cried when i got off the court but I'm good now" - Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka

During the post-match press conference, Naomi Osaka also revealed that she cried when she got off the court but calmed herself down later. She said that she was pregnant when she watched Iga Swiatek lift the title last year so was happy with the fight she put up on the Pole's favored surface. She further stated that she now wanted to face Swiatek on the hard court, Osaka's favored surface.

“I cried when I got off the court but I’m good now. I was watching Iga winning this tournament last year when I was pregnant and it was my dream just to play her. I think I did pretty well against her on her surface. I wanna play her on hard courts, my surface.”

Naomi Osaka's clay swing might have ended but her season will move ahead as she will look to gear up for the upcoming grass season next.