Naomi Osaka, the 4-time Grand Slam champion, was reduced to tears by a spectator’s invective on Saturday in her loss to Veronika Kudermetova (6-0, 6-4) at Indian Wells.
The 24-year-old Japanese, ranked 78th in the world, was shaken early in the game by a spectator who shouted at her “Naomi, you suck”. She failed to persuade the match referee to take action, conducted 0-3, she collapses.
Here’s what disturbed Naomi Osaka. Naomi was in tears #IndianWells pic.twitter.com/LW16f9pZv4
— NoFirstName claycourtdal (@SMSTNS) March 13, 2022
Osaka finally pulled herself together and continued the game, but despite her best efforts in the second set, she couldn’t turn the game around. Her rival of the day, Kudermetovafinalist this year at the summer tournament in Melbourne and Dubai, was able to maintain his advantage until the end of the match.
Naomi had already confided in her state of mental health. She confessed that the year 2021 was very difficult and that she suffered from depression. “To be honest, I feel like I’ve been whistled before and it didn’t really bother me,” she said.
After the match, she says the comment itself wasn’t that upsetting, but it reminded her of the video showing the boo against Serena and Venus William on the same tennis court. “If you’ve never watched it, you have to,” she added, before congratulating Kudermetova for his victory and to leave the court.
Naomi Osaka didn’t deserve this… pic.twitter.com/sQLbjsT2p3
– days (@jazdahubi) March 13, 2022
Kudermetovawho was looking forward to her very first confrontation with Osaka, said she didn’t know what the viewer said, she just knew her opponent was upset.
“It is didn’t hear what the lady said because I was so focused on my game, on my service game, that I didn’t understand what she said.
“But after that moment, I saw that Naomi started crying. I do not understand what is happening.“
With the defeat of Naomi Osaka, the women’s field of the prestigious tennis tournament has lost another big name. Ariana Sabalenkathe world number 3 was eliminated from her opening match by the Italian Jasmine Paoliniwhich prevailed 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.
