"I'm going to focus on myself & potentially never do that again" - Naomi Osaka on mid-match conversation with her team at Brisbane International 2024

Following her opening round match at the 2024 Brisbane International, Naomi Osaka said she may never again look to her coaches for advice during matches.

Osaka kicked off her much-awaited 2024 comeback campaign on Monday, January 1 at the WTA 500 in Brisbane. Playing her first match in 15 months, the unranked Japanese produced some fierce tennis to defeat World No. 83 Tamara Korpatsch 6-3, 7-6 (9).

Between the first and the second sets, Osaka briefly chatted with her team members, who were guiding her from the stands.

While a conversation with the coaches would have been frowned upon in the past, a new rule allowing coaching from the stands during ATP, WTA as well Grand Slam matches was rolled out in 2023, after several periods of trial.

The rule was welcomed by players and coaches alike, including Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.

Naomi Osaka, who didn’t play a single match throughout 2023, was asked in her post-match press conference whether she liked the rule and if she would be relying more on her coaches’ instructions going forward.

“Yeah, probably not. Like, I was just really nervous so I wanted to see if talking would help,” she said explaining her conversation with her coaches at the Brisbane International.

Osaka added that she wouldn’t resort to mid-match coaching unless absolutely necessary, given she has to make great efforts to refocus during matches.

“I realize I'm the kind of player that really needs to focus a lot because my mind does wander quite often. I probably won't do that again unless it's, like, really close, maybe in the third set,” Naomi Osaka said.

“I don't even know if that's allowed, though. They said it was only the bathroom break or a medical timeout,” she added. “Yeah, I think I'm just going to focus on myself and potentially never do that again.”

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Naomi Osaka to next take on Karolina Pliskova at the 2024 Brisbane International

Osaka pictured at the 2024 Brisbane International

In a clash of former World No. 1s, Naomi Osaka will face Karolina Pliskova in the second round of the Brisbane International on Wednesday. Pliskova, seeded 16th at the WTA 500, received a bye in the opening round.

This will mark their sixth tour-level meeting, with the Czech enjoying a positive head-to-head record of 3-2 against the Japanese.

It is worth noting that the duo’s latest clash also came at the Brisbane International, in the 2020 semifinal. Karolina Pliskova, who has won the tournament thrice (2017, 2019, 2020), defeated Naomi Osaka 6-7 (10), 7-6 (3), 6-2 on that occasion.

Osaka will look to level their head-to-head record when they take the court on Tuesday, January 2.