Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka aimed to win her first title since the 2021 Australian Open. Osaka showcased her talent by defeating opponents like Alycia Parks and Hailey Baptiste leading up to the final—her first in three years after returning to tennis following the birth of her daughter, Shai. However, her hopes were dashed when she had to retire from the Auckland Classic final due to an abdominal injury, despite winning the first set. And with her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou’s message, it now seems she will have to wait longer for another title.

Despite showing no signs of discomfort in the opening set, where she displayed impressive power with strong groundstrokes to break Tauson twice, Osaka suddenly experienced an abdominal and not back injury she suffered at the China Open in October and which ended her 2024 season.  

Osaka had taken the first set 6-4, but the match was abruptly halted when she consulted with her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, the chair umpire, and a trainer. Tears welled up in her eyes as she awaited medical attention, and she ultimately withdrew from the final. The crowd offered a muted applause as she left the court, later returning for the prize presentation. This unexpected turn of events raised concerns about her fitness and her ability to compete at the upcoming Australian Open.

On top of that, after the match, Mouratoglou took to Instagram to share his thoughts alongside a photo of both players with their trophies. He wrote, “Great week preparation and great tournament @naomiosaka. Unfortunate ending and we cross fingers that it is not too bad. Congratulations to @claratauson for a very good week. #tennis #tennisplayer #naomi.”

The duo began working together at the end of 2024 after a disappointing season for Osaka. Despite showing flashes of brilliance, the 27-year-old couldn’t advance beyond the quarterfinals in any tournament last year, leaving her eager for success. While she appeared poised to break her winless streak since 2021, there’s still a long road ahead.

Reflecting on her journey, Osaka mentioned her superstitious rituals before matches. An on-court interviewer asked her about these habits, noting, “You mentioned throughout the week you had some superstitions. Always eat the same breakfasts… one shoe on before the other…” She calmly replied that perhaps missing a step in her routine contributed to the match not going as planned.

Osaka dives into the consequences of ignoring pre-match rituals

When asked about following her superstitions before a match, Naomi Osaka lightheartedly remarked, “Now that you mention it, I didn’t eat breakfast today, so maybe that’s why I should stick to my superstitions. 😂 I want to thank everyone for welcoming me to such a beautiful city. I had a lot of fun playing here. I’m really sorry about how it ended. I’m just really grateful to be here.” Osaka’s superstitions are not new to the tennis world.

At the 2022 Australian Open, she was famously seen avoiding the “Melbourne” signage on the court, hopping over it and retracing her steps if she accidentally touched it. She explained, “Every time I’ve come here, I really don’t like stepping on the lines or the Melbourne logo in the back.” Osaka acknowledged that many athletes have their own quirks, saying, “For me, it’s definitely the lines and the logo.” Additionally, she revealed another oddity: “I need my water bottles to be completely straight…I’m not sure why that is.”

The Auckland final marked a significant moment in her return to tennis; had she won, it would have been her first title since 2021. Remember the third seeded Osaka at the 2021 Australian Open?

Naomi Osaka navigated the early rounds with impressive victories over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Caroline Garcia, and Ons Jabeur, Garbiñe Muguruza, Hsieh Su-wei and Serena Williams(in a highly anticipated semifinal), and Jennifer Brady to claim her second Australian Open title. This victory solidified her place in tennis history, joining the exclusive club of Roger Federer and Monica Seles as the only players in the Open Era to win their first four Grand Slam final.

Now with the Australian Open set to begin on January 12, experts like Coco Vandeweghe believe she still has a shot at securing a Grand Slam title if she can maintain consistency and all odds are in her favor. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below!