"I have seen the worst that can happen, everything else is a plus" - Naomi Osaka "more confident" at Qatar Open after series of setbacks

Naomi Osaka recently shared her revised approach to her comeback after suffering defeats in three of her four matches so far in 2024.

Osaka, who missed the 2023 season due to pregnancy, commenced her comeback as a wildcard at the 2024 Brisbane International. She kicked off her campaign on a winning note, defeating Tamara Korpatsch in the opening round. However, the Japanese’s win over the German remains her only win so far this season.

Naomi Osaka has since accumulated three straight losses. In the second round in Brisbane, she fell short in a tightly-contested three-setter against fellow former World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova. At the Australian Open, former World No. 4 Caroline Garcia halted the two-time champion’s run in the opening round with a straight-sets victory.

In her most recent match at the Abu Dhabi Open, Osaka faced 2022 Australian Open runner-up Danielle Collins. The four-time Grand Slam champion stood the pace with the former World No. 7 in the opening set, but Collins trounced Osaka in the second set to earn a 7-5, 6-0 win.

Following that match, Osaka had some "harsh" words about her defeat, and called her campaign, thus far, "a little like failure." However, the 26-year-old, who will next compete in the WTA 1000 Qatar Open, has since regrouped herself.

Addressing her previous comments, Naomi Osaka said that while it is hard for her to not be tough on herself, she feels "more confident."

"It definitely is hard for me to not be tough on myself, but I think honestly after Abu Dhabi, I actually have more confidence in myself now, which is a little strange," she said in her press conference at the Qatar Open.

She attributed her turnabout to having experienced "the worst that could happen."

"I think that [Abu Dhabi loss], for me, was the worst thing that could happen. I feel like since I have seen the worst that can happen, I think, like, everything else is a plus," she added.

---

"I have to take these tournaments as extra credit" – Naomi Osaka on competing at the 2024 Qatar Open

Naomi Osaka pictured with Caroline Garcia after her opening-round loss at the 2024 Australian Open

Naomi Osaka initially planned to compete only at the WTA 1000 Dubai Tennis Championships (February 18-24). However, after accepting the wild card in Abu Dhabi and entering the Qatar Open through protected ranking, the mother-of-one said that she is approaching the tournaments as "extra credit."

"In Australia I know that I said I was only going to play Dubai, so I feel like I have to take these tournaments as extra credit. Someone said to me it's like a very expensive practice, so I don't know, after they said that, I felt pretty optimistic," Osaka said smiling, in the aforementioned press conference.

In hopes of a breakthrough win, Osaka will yet again face Caroline Garcia in the opening round of the 2024 Qatar Open in Doha on Monday, February 12.