MUTUA MADRID OPEN

April 27, 2026

Naomi Osaka

From Recorded Audio

Q. I know you don't like to compare, but curious how you differentiate between how you are here on clay now versus a year ago.

NAOMI OSAKA: I mean, I think for me, like I can, I guess, obviously, like, losing is not a positive thing for me, but I can take positives from this match. Obviously I feel like I'm in a better spot than I was last year. Last year I wasn't ranked. This year I'm ranked. I can go to Rome as a seed, which is really cool for me.

Yeah, I mean, it was a really tough match, but I feel better than how I played her in Indian Wells.

Q. What are some of those positive that you were talking about that you can take away from the match?

NAOMI OSAKA: I think just knowing how close it was. I feel like every game was super close. I think I realize, like, I could potentially match her in power. I feel like in Indian Wells I was a little overwhelmed. Here I did a little bit better. Obviously she's the No. 1 player in the world, so it was a really cool match for me to know that I'm like kind of there.

Q. It did seem like the kind of tennis you had today beats a lot of people who aren't the world No. 1. Is that how you were feeling on the court?

NAOMI OSAKA: It's situational. Like, I don't really care if it beats a lot of other people because I wanted to beat her. So it doesn't really matter because, at the end of the day, I didn't win this match, and this is the opponent that I was given today.

Q. This is a long stretch of the year for Americans, especially ones who have little children. I'm sort of curious how you're handling it. Is she with you? How do you manage all this time away?

NAOMI OSAKA: That's funny you call me American (laughing).

Q. Well, people who live in America, sorry about that.

NAOMI OSAKA: You're good. No.

Q. We've always wanted you to be an American. I'm showing my bias.

NAOMI OSAKA: My daughter is here with me, so I don't feel like that far from home. I think, honestly, I enjoy Madrid as a city. I've grown to like it a lot.

Rome is next, and I have a couple food spots that I like there. I feel like I try to make every place feel a little bit like home.

Q. Is she going to stay with you, as long as you're in Europe, she's going to be with you?

NAOMI OSAKA: No, she has school. I like to keep her in her school just to have routine. She was just here for a little bit. She will probably go back in a few days.

Q. Being your first clay court tournament of the season, is it fair to say that you're overall pleased with how it went, even though you lost today?

NAOMI OSAKA: Honestly, like, if I take the tournament as a whole, since I didn't play since Miami, I would say that I'm pleased. But I hate losing, so I'm a little mad right now.

But, yeah, I mean, I think my last match I played against Gibson, it wasn't that great. This one was a little bit better. Hopefully I can just keep going a little bit further day by day.

Q. What would you say are the main things that Tomasz has brought to your game?

NAOMI OSAKA: Some sarcastic dad jokes. I don't know. For me, he brings a lot of belief. I would say he gives me a lot of structure. I appreciate that, because it's not like during the match I'm confused on what I'm doing or anything like that.