LONDON — Naomi Osaka, a celebrated four-time Grand Slam titleholder, never ceases to dazzle with her chic wardrobe choices.
Yet on Tuesday, she appeared just like the rest of us, admitting that her plantar fasciitis was flaring up. “I might be overworking myself,” she confessed.
“I’m just getting older,” Osaka quipped.
The 28-year-old’s impressive Wimbledon journey and fashion showcase came to an end with a 7-6 (4), 6-4 defeat against Karolina Muchova in the quarterfinals.
Osaka, who previously held the world No. 1 ranking, had dispatched top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round, delivering some of her finest tennis since returning from maternity leave. However, she struggled to find her rhythm against her Czech challenger.
“It’s tough because I felt like I played so well in my last match, and then today I just didn’t have my flow and felt drained,” Osaka remarked, noting that despite the setback, this marked her best performance at the All England Club by reaching the quarterfinals.
“I sensed it coming because I’ve had more matches than I’m accustomed to before a Grand Slam,” she elaborated. “I wanted to test my rhythm, which ended up working well. But I doubt I’ll do that again. It was just too much, playing two weeks straight without a break.”
Prior to Wimbledon, in a warm-up event in Bad Homburg, Germany, Osaka had to retire in the final against Muchova due to a foot injury.
The Japanese athlete, who has taken mental health breaks since 2021 and was absent from the tour while welcoming her daughter, humorously dismissed any ankle problems during a Tuesday interview. “No, I’m just getting old,” she joked. However, she did mention her “plantar fasciitis,” adding, “Well, that’s what we think it might be.”
“This issue began during the off-season last year,” Osaka shared. “I believe it might be because I’m bouncing more on my toes. It seems to have intensified on grass since I’m pushing off more. I doubt it will bother me on hard courts; it might just be a matter of surface adjustment.”
Of her four major titles, Osaka has claimed two (2018 and 2020) at the U.S. Open and made it to the semifinals in Flushing Meadows last year, where she lost to Amanda Anisimova.
“In my heart, I believe there’s still a chance for me to win another Slam,” she stated confidently.
