Martina Navratilova feels «external forces» may be to blame for Naomi Osaka’s fall from the top of the game. Osaka, who turned 25 in October, is a four-time Grand Slam champion but hasn’t won a title since she won the Australian Open in January 2021.
In 2022, Osaka appeared in a total of 11 tournaments. Since going public with her battle with depression and anxiety during the 2021 French Open, Osaka hasn’t played much. «She is a very unique case, in every way.
So maybe you need to deal with that uniquely. He may not have to play all those games, but he certainly has to play more than he has. With her, it seems that forces outside of tennis are affecting her more than anything else.
It’s baked,» Navratilova told the WTA Tour.
Osaka is still regarded as one of the most talented in the game.
Osaka hasn’t won a title in two years and is now ranked No. 42 in the world, but many believe she is definitely still one of the most talented players on the WTA Tour.
Also, many believe that Osaka has to play more tournaments first, as otherwise there is no way she can rediscover her old game and become a powerful force in the game again. In March, Osaka had a very promising run at a WTA 1000 tournament in Miami, where she reached the final before losing to Iga Swiatek.
But after finishing runner-up in Miami, Osaka appeared in just seven tournaments in the rest of the year and had no notable results. Looking ahead to the 2023 season, Osaka is expected to compete at the Australian Open, as her name recently appeared on the tournament’s entry list.
Osaka is a two-time Australian Open champion and can certainly play well at Melbourne Park. Whether Osaka can make a splash at the start of the 2023 season remains to be seen.