"Naomi Osaka & Nick Kyrgios are besties"; "She has to kick that rat": Fans annoyed as Japanese teams up with Aussie for US Open Mixed Madness

Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios are set to pair up for a mixed doubles exhibition event ahead of the 2024 US Open. The other pairs announced include Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton, Paula Badosa and Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Aryna Sabalenka and Taylor Fritz. However, tennis fans have expressed their displeasure at Osaka and Kyrgios teaming up.

The event, named the US Open Mixed Madness presented by IHG Hotels & Resorts, is slated to take place on Tuesday, August 20 at Arthur Ashe Stadium. It is the latest addition to the yearly US Open Fan Week, which allows fans to soak in the atmosphere of the hardcourt Major in the seven days ahead of the commencement of main draw matches.

Upon seeing that Osaka will be partnered with Kyrgios at the exhibition event, one set of fans on X (formerly Twitter) voiced their disapproval of the news. According to these fans, the development did not come as a surprise, despite their disdain for Kyrgios, who is one of tennis' most controversial names.

The Japanese and the Australian are close friends, with Kyrgios also being the host of a video podcast series produced by Osaka's media production venture Hana Kuma. Additionally, Kyrgios is represented by Evolve, the talent agency founded by the Japanese.

"People shocked about Naomi as if she hasn't been endorsing his nasty a** for years," one fan wrote.

"Why does everyone get surprised at that Naomi/Nick collaboration every five business days? They are literally like besties, they did some dumba** podcast together recently, and he is signed to Naomi’s agency.One reason I cannot fulltime stan her…" another fan commented.

"I love Naomi but she has to kick that rat from her agency," another fan chimed in.

Another set of fans questioned the Osaka-Kyrgios partnership at the upcoming event.

"Now why do they have Naomi with that loser?" one fan asked.

"Naomi is playing with who?" asked yet another fan, whose post also featured a GIF.

"I'm so annoyed with Naomi sometimes," another fan weighed in.

"I just kind of feel an alliance" - Naomi Osaka recently touched on her relationship with Nick Kyrgios

Nick Kyrgios (L) and Naomi Osaka (R) at an event in 2022

Osaka featured as a guest on a recent episode of the Hana Kuma-backed Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios video podcast series. At one point during her conversation with the Australian, the Japanese told Kyrgios why she felt connected to him on some level.

"I've seen you on TV and around the scene and stuff... and I've always thought to myself, like, 'That's like my brother from a different universe,' you know? Because there's not a lot of melanated folks in tennis? So, I just kind of feel an alliance, sometimes?" Osaka said.

On the tennis front, Osaka is set to continue her promising start to this year's grasscourt season at the German Open. The Japanese is slated to square off against Zheng Qinwen in her opening match at the WTA 500 event. The former World No. 1 goes into the German Open on a high after her run to the quarterfinals of the Libema Open.

Meanwhile, Kyrgios, who is still finding his way to fitness after an injury-ravaged 2023, is yet to announce his comeback to the sport.