Tennis star Naomi Osaka spoke to reporters after winning an Olympic match on Sunday (July 25).
“More than anything else I’m just focused on playing tennis,” the 23-year-old told reporters after winning 6-1, 6-4 over Zheng Saisai, The Associated Press reported. “The Olympics has been a dream of mine since I was a kid so I feel like the break that I took was very needed. I feel definitely a little bit refreshed and I’m happy again,” she said.
Osaka withdrew from the French Open in May to prioritize her mental health. Her Olympic match over the weekend was first competition since the Paris Grand Slam and one of her first post-match interviews with the press.
Osaka is representing Japan at the Olympics and described what she felt getting back on the court.
“I feel a little bit out of my body right now,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with my body, I just felt really nervous. I haven’t played since France so there were definitely some things that I did a bit wrong but I think I can improve in the matches that I continue playing,” she said.
Osaka lit the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony Friday (July 23) and is scheduled to face Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland next.
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