Naomi Osaka spills the beans on her superstitious pre-match rituals

Naomi Osaka provided a rare glimpse into her world of superstitions and pre-match rituals. The tennis star revealed that her steadfast adherence to a ritualistic routine that she believes plays a pivotal role in her on-court success.

In a pre-tournament press conference in Melbourne, the two-time champion shared that she is a firm believer in maintaining a consistent pre-match regimen. Her rituals range from specific food choices to small acts of superstition.

"I am a little bit of a superstitious person, so I do kind of have rituals that I like to I guess keep in order. I also - knock on wood - would hate to get food poisoning from switching it up. I typically do eat the same thing before every match, breakfast, lunch, and dinner," Osaka said.

When asked about her meal choices, the Japanese tennis star elaborated on her pre-match diet, providing insight into her culinary preferences.

"I haven't eaten breakfast here yet, but I assume it would consist of smoked salmon, because that's what I always do, smoked salmon and eggs. Before a match, I always eat rice and chicken. Then dinner? Dinner is the wild card (smiling)," she added.

Naomi Osaka began her 2025 tennis season at the ASB Classic in Auckland, entering the tournament as the seventh seed. The 27-year-old cruised past defeating qualifier Lina Glushko, Julia Grabher, Hailey Baptiste, and Alycia Parks to advance to the final.

Unfortunately, her campaign was cut short when she was forced to retire against Clara Tauson due to an abdominal strain. Osaka is now preparing to compete in the 2025 Australian Open, scheduled to start on January 12.

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Naomi Osaka addresses injury concerns ahead of the 2025 Australian Open

Naomi Osaka (Image source: Getty)

In the aforementioned press conference, Naomi Osaka was asked about the MRI scan she underwent following her Auckland campaign and her fitness as she approached the Australian Open.

Although the 27-year-old opted not to disclose all the specifics, she did mention that the scan results were a mixed bag.

"Well, I'm normally a really honest person, but I probably won't answer your question honestly (smiling). But, I mean, the MRI, it wasn't fantastic but it wasn't bad at the same time. So saying all that, I'm pretty optimistic about playing my match. I mean, for sure I'm going to play my match," Osaka said.

"Yeah, I've been practicing pretty well for the two days that I've been here, so... Seems to be going good," she added.

Unseeded Naomi Osaka will take on former World No. 4 Caroline Garcia in the Melbourne opener on January 12, 2025. The winner of this match will face either 20th seed Karolina Muchova or Nadia Podoroska in the second round.