US OPEN

August 26, 2025

Naomi Osaka

Press Conference

N. OSAKA/G. Minnen

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Lots of people will play a game when they talk about their favorite and least favorite part of the experience, and they'll call it their rose and their thorn. I was curious what your rose from tonight was and your thorn, and if you could share it with us.

NAOMI OSAKA: That's -- I've never heard this before. My rose, so my best experience tonight and my least. My least -- I mean, I think, honestly, I could have had a better attitude. Like, I was just very stressed. It was the first round, and this tournament means a lot to me. I really wanted to win. I wish I thought more about, like, the process rather than the result, but I'm glad I was able to win.

My favorite part (laughing), I think my little Labubu. I was not expecting everyone to like Billie Jean Bling. I'm glad she made people laugh today.

Q. Can we talk about this look and the hair part especially too and how you came up with it, how it was to have two different looks on court too. Yeah, the whole origin story behind it, because it seems pretty impressive and elaborate.

NAOMI OSAKA: Oh, thanks. Yeah, I mean, I designed this outfit a while ago. I'll probably post a video about it later, but we tried it on, honestly, last year. It was really elaborate, because the crystals are really hard to do on a performance outfit.

I just thought it would be really fun to do a New York under the lights. I'm glad that my first match was a night match, because this outfit was really fun to play. This is my night outfit, so hopefully I'll wear my day outfit next time. But yeah, it definitely was really elaborate.

My hair (laughing) was a little chaotic. I just sent Marty, like, hair inspo maybe a week or so ago with a big ponytail with roses in it. I was, like, Do you think this is possible? Maybe it was two weeks ago. Yeah, we kind of just toss ideas around.

Obviously the outcome is way better than I could have imagined.

Q. Your documentary came out. It was great, the production, story-telling. Your mom was the highlight, by the way, as well. She was really great. You were very personal on the documentary, which we don't get as much. Was that a scary process? Even through the editing process, was there a time where you were, like, this is too much, or did you want people to see more of you?

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I mean, I think for me obviously I try to be a very private person, but I think -- I don't know. I feel like for me with the director Kat, she kind of became a very close friend with how much time we were spending together. I kind of stopped seeing her as the person filming the documentary. It was more like she was someone that was on the road with me. I just felt really comfortable around her.

Yeah, I think it is scary to let people see moments of your life, for sure, but I think overall I wanted moms to kind of come away from that film, or anyone in general, just feeling more positive about themselves.

Q. Given your thoughts about look, outfit, hair, what's your reaction to Carlos Alcaraz's new haircut?

NAOMI OSAKA: When did he do this?

Q. Very recently.

NAOMI OSAKA: Because I saw him with hair, and then suddenly yesterday I saw him practicing without hair. So did he just, like -- did he ever explain if it was a random thing?

Q. His brother cut it and messed up and they just cut it all off.

NAOMI OSAKA: Oh, wow. It's cool that he just doesn't care that much. I mean, I thought he was going for like a David Beckham moment. But I think people like it, no? I guess -- okay. Half and half?

Q. Do you like it?

NAOMI OSAKA: Will his life change if I like it or not (laughing)? Do I like it? I mean, I like people that do different things. So I find everything kind of interesting if someone doesn't do something expected.

Yeah, I guess I like it. He's switching it up. Maybe next time he should dye it platinum or something. I don't know.

Q. You mentioned a couple of times how it was a goal for you to be seeded again in a Grand Slam, and I think the last time was AO in 2022. So now that you are seeded this time, what does that offer you? Is it the obvious thing about protection from other big names early, or was it something more meaningful for you?

NAOMI OSAKA: Honestly, protection (laughing). No, it's funny. I was hitting with Muchova the other day, and I was, like, thank God, I don't have to play you in the first or second round. She was laughing about it too.

But yeah, I mean, definitely you don't want to play the big names early on. I think for me I've always been the type of person that kind of eases into it, but you have to earn that right, of course.

Yeah, honestly, in any given day I'm not scared to play anyone. It's just more I'd like to, I guess, get me feet wet first before diving in.

Q. At the same time, Naomi, I think you have Hailey Baptiste as your next opponent. Very good player. Somebody you've played before. What are the challenges that she poses based on your experience?

NAOMI OSAKA: I mean, she's a really good player. That's all I can kind of think of right now. She's able to do basically anything.

I think it's also going to be tough because she's American. I also feel like the last -- I played her twice maybe. The last time was really, really difficult in Miami, but all I can do is try my best and see what the result is.

Q. Beyond the nerves you talked about, I'm curious how different does it feel to come into these matches knowing that you've won a lot of matches recently and maybe you can draw on that? Sorry. Secondly, was it always your plan to only have the hair for the walk-on and then change?

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah. I mean, it feels really good to have won quite a few matches against some really good players, especially on a surface that I love. So it does give me confidence coming into this tournament, but I also know a Grand Slam is a completely different beast, and there are so many different factors that come into play. I just have to keep a pretty level head on that.

I did always know I was going to take the hair off, because it is really heavy. There were a couple of times that I played in braids, and even that was kind of borderline. So yeah, I just did it for the presentation.

Q. It definitely worked. You said you had the idea for that outfit last year?

NAOMI OSAKA: Oh, no, it was like years. Nike production takes years.

Q. Is it hard to say, I want to wear this, but it's not ready yet, and I have to wait for...

NAOMI OSAKA: It's not hard, but it always makes me excited for what's coming up that people don't know about. So, like, we always have fittings months and months in advance, and I know what next year is going to look like. That just kind of makes me excited to obviously do well so I can have a good court to wear these outfits on.

(Naomi's answers to questions in Japanese.)

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, definitely. I think I'm kind of riding a high on the service games. I feel like I just have to keep trusting myself. Obviously it's really tough when you know you're a good server and then you get broken. But for me I feel like with Tomasz we've been working a lot on my returns, and I feel more confident. So I think that's a really big point for me, because I feel like I was able to focus and kind of break back immediately when I needed to. So that was a really, I would say, big point of the match.

Honestly, I've been having a really good record against drop shots so far. I think I've only missed one since Montreal. So I think I've been doing pretty good on that. I feel like today I was definitely a little flat-footed compared to normal, but I'm kind of chalking that up to nerves. I'm hoping that the more time I get on court, the better my footwork will be. But yeah, today I could have done a little better, but it's okay.

I think I would probably say my serve, even though I got broken a couple of times. A couple of times. Once or twice? I don't remember. But I think it was there when I needed it to, and I feel like having a good serve puts a lot of pressure on the other person to also serve well. So I would say my serve was my best point.

Yeah, I mean, I think for me towards the end of the match I honestly wasn't really focused on my play anymore. I was just focused on having a really consistent attitude and just putting balls in the court at a I guess higher speed. I feel like she was more aggressive than I anticipated. I don't know. I was a little overwhelmed at times, but I just tried to make her keep playing one more shot.

Honestly I'm not trying to emulate anyone right now. I'm kind of just doing what Tomasz tells me to do. But I think my positioning -- am I supposed to tell you guys that? I think I did something a little different than I did before, and if you guys want to figure it out, you can, but I guess I won't tell you. But it's made me a lot more comfortable returning, so I hope no one figures it out.