"I'm sorry" - Naomi Osaka apologizes to Nike after making 1R exit at 2024 Australian Open

Naomi Osaka has apologized to Nike for being unable to show off her 2024 Australian Open attire for longer following her first-round elimination in Melbourne.

Osaka made her comeback to the Grand Slam stage, just six months after embracing motherhood. However, her return was cut short by Caroline Garcia, who emerged victorious with a 6-4, 7-6(2) scoreline in the first round of the Melbourne Slam.

Garcia delivered 13 aces compared to Osaka's 11. Additionally, the 16th seed played 34 winners, surpassing former World No. 1's 20. Not only that, Garcia didn't face any break points en route to victory. She also demonstrated exceptional control by committing fewer unforced errors.

Before the start of the Australian Open, Nike had revealed the attire that Naomi Osaka would be sporting throughout the tournament. The Japanese was to wear a black iridescent ensemble.

The four-time Grand Slam champion only had a single opportunity to wear the striking black outfit as she was eliminated in the first round.

Naomi Osaka took to social media to share an image of herself donning the Nike attire on a prominent billboard advertisement in Los Angeles. She expressed her regret and apologized to the footwear and apparel company for not being able to flaunt the outfit for a longer duration. Osaka also promised to "do better next time."

" Thank you @nike. I'm sorry I couldn't show off the oufit longer. I'll do better next time," Osaka captioned her Instagram story.

Osaka's Instagram story

Martina Navratilova on Naomi Osaka's performance at Australian Open 2024: "Tennis-wise, maybe a B+, but overall, a C"

Naomi Osaka at the 2024 Australian Open

Martina Navratilova recently assessed Naomi Osaka's performance against Caroline Garcia in the first round of the 2024 Australian Open, giving it a "C." She stated that it was important for Osaka to improve her fitness to play better and win matches.

The 18-time Grand Slam champion expressed her surprise at seeing Osaka return to the court so soon after giving birth to her daughter, Shai. She acknowledged the evident impact that the early return and lack of fitness had on the Japanese's performance by highlighting her inability to create a breakpoint.

"Tennis-wise, maybe a B+, but overall, a C because she [Naomi Osaka] couldn’t get to the ball that she wants to hit because she’s not in shape. I’m surprised that she really started playing, that she got on the tour, and that she played this tournament without clearly being in the top shape that she needs to be in order to put herself in the position to hit the big, big balls. She was stretched out way too much, and the fact that she never had a break point tells you everything you need to know about that match," Navratilova said.

Martina Navratilova stated that the former World No. 1 just needs to get fitter and dedicate ample time to practice sessions to return to her winning ways.

"Just get more fit and play with a lot more sense in practice so that when you play the match, you know you’ve been there, done that, but most of all, just put in the yards. I think on the court and off the court, ‘cause the girls, they hit the ball too hard. You have to be quick off the mark to get to the ball to be able to hit your shot that you want to hit," she expressed.