US OPEN

September 7, 2026

Naomi Osaka

Press Conference

E. RYBAKINA/N. Osaka

6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Tough day at the office, but can you just comment on two things -- whether or not you felt any compromise in her movement and just in terms of ball striking and power, does anyone hit the ball harder? Where does she rank on the women's tour? You are a big hitter, and you've played a lot of big hitters.

NAOMI OSAKA: I mean, honestly, I can't tell you anything about what she was going through, because I felt like I was going through stuff, so it was, like, you know --

Then in terms of ball hitting, it's strange. I feel like you can rank people on, like, power. But, for example, she hits very fast, but Sabalenka hits kind of heavy. So it's like they're both powerful, but in different ways.

Obviously they're both really good, so...

Q. In terms of what you were going through, obviously Elena was incredible today, but were you physically compromised? What were you going through today?

NAOMI OSAKA: I like you guys use the word "compromise." Yes, I was compromised (smiling).

I mean, like, the last match I played, I felt a lot in my leg. Then this morning, it just got a lot worse. I don't know, I felt like I played the best that I could given the situation.

The crowd was really, really into it, so it was fun. It was unfortunate, obviously, but yeah, life goes on.

Q. Just in the first set you hit three double faults in the game. The first game you lost your serve and then two in serve -- the game you lost your serving set, too. Was the Achilles affecting the way you were pushing off on your serve?

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I can't really push off like I want, and when I land, it hurts a little. I was trying to figure out ways to, I guess, minimize it. I thought, like, if I served a little slower, like, the impact when I land would be less.

I think it worked for a little bit, but obviously she broke me in the second set, so...

Q. How do you think about managing this injury going forward? What do you know about it? I know this can be a risky injury to push too hard on and then have some bad results. How do you mix caution with trying to keep playing?

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I mean, when was my last match? Well, yesterday I got an ultrasound, and then I got an ultrasound again just now, and I'm probably going to go get an MRI, because honestly, I don't really know too much about what's going on.

I think managing it, like, thankfully we're at the end of the year, so after the Asian swing, we do get, like, two weeks off. So, yeah, I'm just going to, I would say, make do with the time that I have and try to be smart about the amount of matches I play.

Q. I remember last year when you made the good run, you said, I'm trying to remember, you were disappointed that you had one more thing you wanted to show off. Were there more surprises, looks, you wanted to show if you had gone another round or two?

NAOMI OSAKA: I mean, I think there's always something, you know? I feel like that's a way that I can have fun and sort of just excite myself, also.

But, honestly, I'm not disappointed now. It's a very strange feeling, I think, and last year I wasn't that disappointed either, because Amanda just played really insane.

Yeah, maybe I'm just getting older, but I don't feel sad.

Q. Obviously there's still more of the season to go, but it's the end of the Grand Slam season. Can you just reflect on how you feel about it? Would you have signed for this Grand Slam season at the start of 2026?

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah. I mean, yes. Of course, obviously, I started the year injured. I don't know if this counts as ending the year injured, but I definitely learned a lot about myself, about my tennis.

I got the furthest that I've ever gotten in the French and in Wimbledon. You know, hopefully I can continue to build on that and just play more matches with these really good players, because I feel like I need those under my belt.

Q. If I could ask a fashion question, that coat was pretty spectacular. Can you tell us anything about it?

NAOMI OSAKA: I mean, I just feel like it embodied New York a lot, and it was just I felt really swaggy when I put it on.

I think obviously, like, the fur collar is kind of, like, I don't know, it gives some pizzazz. Yeah, I feel like you had probably a better look at it than I did, because I kind of rushed to put it on.

Q. Who designed it?

NAOMI OSAKA: KidSuper.

Q. If you win another major, which I think a lot of people think you can, you would set a record for the longest ever gap between major titles at this point.

NAOMI OSAKA: Wow.

Q. Does it feel like it's that long, or what do you think about that possibility?

NAOMI OSAKA: Someone asked me this question the other day. I said, like, it feels long and short, because my break time I had a kid, you know? There's a lot that happened in that time.

I think, also, if I reflect on my career and the things that I've been able to do, like, there's nothing that I regret or there's nothing that I'm sad about.

Also, I thought about it, and if I win another Grand Slam, it's not going to change my life. That's kind of crazy that I can say that, because I remember the first slam that I won, it was, like, a huge whirlwind.

Yeah, I think it wouldn't feel as long.

Q. You said that you're not that sad. I'm curious, how do you feel about your feelings? Are you surprised that you're not as sad as maybe in previous years? Are you happy that you're taking losses differently?

NAOMI OSAKA: I think I am happy that I'm taking losses differently. I'm trying to learn from them a lot more. Honestly, today if I was to say I'm sad, I was just sad that I couldn't, like, push off on my foot. Like, I'm sad that I couldn't do what I've set out to do.

But, yeah, for me, if I think about my life, my daughter is healthy, you know, everyone in my family is great. I had an opportunity to play this slam. I got as far as I could. So, yeah, it's only up from here, I guess.

(Naomi's answers to questions in Japanese.)

NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I mean, that's an interesting question, because I do feel like I am a lot more consistent now than when I was younger. I think when I was younger, I'd get far in a tournament and then maybe lose in the second round in the next one. I am happy that I'm more consistently in the second week or in the quarters of every tournament that I play. I think the way that my tennis is now, I feel more confident playing, I don't want to say lower-ranked opponents, but, like, people that on paper I should win against. But then it gets to the point where I play, like, the Rybakinas and people like that. I just feel like I need more of those matches.

I mean, I felt like -- I don't think this is a curse, but, like, the immediate thought that I had in my head when she hit the ace, I was, like, Damn, well, I can't really do anything about it. Like, I watched it pass me, and it's like at that point, you're, like, Well, she hit an amazing shot, like, great shot. That was basically it. But if I had any regrets, no. Maybe I could have covered it, but she has a great serve, so she probably would have hit the other way. So I just felt like I learned. When she hit that ace, I felt like I learned a lot.

Yeah, I mean, it's really interesting. Honestly, I didn't feel like I returned bad today. I think she served her spots really well. I feel like, honestly, from Toronto to now, I was trying to swing a little bit more on her first serves, because the way that she plays, she immediately hits your return to the other side of the court. So I was just trying to gain the upper hand on the first serve, but obviously, like, she's one of the best servers in the world, so that was definitely really tough. Yeah, I didn't think it was that bad.