"Naomi Osaka needs to swallow her pride";"What happens when you don't respect the game" - Fans react as Japanese faces 3rd straight loss in Abu Dhabi

Naomi Osaka suffered her third consecutive loss in 2024 at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, going down 5-7, 0-6 to USA's Danielle Collins in the first round on Tuesday (February 6). A section of the tennis universe subsequently poked fun at the Japanese star's unremarkable showing at the WTA 1000 tournament.

Although Osaka had a respectable start, she looked listless as the match wore on. The 26-year-old dropped nine games on the trot to lose to Collins for only the second time in her career.

Osaka, who has won only one match in her comeback so far, faced criticism from a few fans on social media following her defeat. One fan suggested that Naomi Osaka go back to the drawing board and rebuild her career by playing 125k and 250k tournaments.

"Congrats Collins. I'm sorry, but @naomiosaka needs to swallow her pride and play 125/250 tourneys. Becuz, she is not beating the top 20 ladies w/ her current level," they wrote.

Another fan stated that Osaka was reaping the results of not 'respecting the game.'

"This what happens when you don’t respect the game it will hate on you," they wrote.

The former World No. 1's post-pregnancy comeback was compared to the one that 23-time Major winner Serena Williams made in 2018. One fan said the latter deserved more credit for her performances.

"If it's going this badly... Maybe Serena deserved a bit more credit for her post-pregnancy achievements lmao," they wrote.

Here are a few more reactions from social media:

"I kind of like my delusions, they’re cool" - Naomi Osaka on her approach to big matches

Naomi Osaka hits a forehand at the 2024 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open

Naomi Osaka took a sabbatical due to pregnancy in 2022. She announced her return to the sport shortly after giving birth to her daughter Shai in July 2023.

The former World No. 1 talked about her attitude towards marquee matches in an interview with 'The National' ahead of her first-round outing in Abu Dhabi. She claimed that she was so convinced about her skills as a player that her mentality veered into the "delusional" territory.

"I’m the type of person that, even if I play the No. 1 seed, I want myself to win, and I kind of expect myself to win, which is the delusion part," Naomi Osaka said. "But I try not to make too many excuses. I feel like in some capacity, everyone who has achieved something crazy has been called crazy along the way... I kind of like my delusions, they’re cool.”

After her loss to Danielle Collins, Naomi Osaka has a few days to prepare for the upcoming WTA 1000 tournament in Qatar, where she will likely be eligible for a wildcard entry.