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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 14: Naomi Osaka of Japan celebrates after winning match point in her Women’s Singles fourth round match against Garbine Muguruza of Spain during day seven of the 2021 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on February 14, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 14: Naomi Osaka of Japan celebrates after winning match point in her Women’s Singles fourth round match against Garbine Muguruza of Spain during day seven of the 2021 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on February 14, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Naomi Osaka is gearing up for the US Open after a lackluster season. Even at the Cincinnati Masters, she suffered an early exit in the first round. Despite her poor form, Osaka has always been very active in her off-court engagements. Recently, she recalled one such activity during which she met one of her idols.
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Osaka met Beyonce in 2020, and the player was awestruck by the unexpected meeting. Apart from that, her motivating words for Osaka had made her day.
Naomi Osaka met Beyonce during her off-season break
After meeting the pop star during the off-season in 2020, a mesmerized Osaka said, “I met Beyonce and Jay Z during the off-season.” Adding to her excitement, she said, “She just smelled expensive and beautiful and she was soft and she hugged me.”
Furthermore, she said, “I was like, this is what heaven is. She was talking to me and she said she was proud of me.” The player said, “I thought, wow, that actually was a really important moment.”
Despite Beyonce’s encouraging words, Osaka couldn’t defend her Australian Open title in 2020 but still managed to get her hands on a Grand Slam trophy at the US Open later that year.
Osaka’s run in the year 2022
Naomi Osaka did not have a fruitful 2022. The player has suffered first-round defeats, and she is yet to win a title this year. This is probably the toughest year for the Japanese star on the tour, as the four-time Grand Slam champion had risen to the top by defeating some top-tier players in her early days on the women’s circuit.
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Mar 31, 2022; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Naomi Osaka (JPN) hits a backhand against Belinda Bencic (SUI)(not pictured) in a women’s singles semifinal in the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Nonetheless, Osaka has continued her work hard through her poor form and injuries, and will now play at the US Open. The Japaneses star has already won the title at Flushing Meadows twice in her career. In 2018, she defeated Serena Williams to clinch the title and in 2020, she defeated Victoria Azarenka.
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Do you think Osaka can overcome her poor form of late and win her third US Open title in 2022?
Written by
Edited by
Tony Thomas