Why Did Naomi Osaka Avoid Making Eye-Contact With Serena Williams? Biographer Reveals Obscure Locker Room Moment

Tennis star Naomi Osaka is about to make a comeback to the WTA Tour after taking a break due to her pregnancy. The Australian Open 2024 will probably be her first tournament back. However, as she prepares to step back on the court, an adorable incident from her rivalry with the American tennis legend Serena Williams is adorning the headlines. Osaka infamously beat Serena in the 2018 US Open final, denying her the chance to equal Margaret Court’s record. Since then, their rivalry has always enthralled fans around the world.

Before Osaka makes her tennis comeback, her biography will hit the shelves. Tennis journalist and the author of the book, Ben Rothenberg, recently shared insights into how Naomi Osaka felt when she had to share the court with the likes of the 23-time Grand Slam champion.

Naomi Osaka’s reasons for avoiding eye-contact with Serena Williams

Tennis journalist and the author of Naomi Osaka’s biography ‘Naomi Osaka: Her Journey to Finding Her Power and Her Voice’ recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to give a sneak peek into the lesser known aspects of Osaka’s early years on the WTA Tour. In the tweet, he mentions the evolution that Osaka went through from being a shy tennis player to a dominant force on the tour.

In fact, one of the incidents he shared was about the time when Osaka had just started her journey in tennis. He mentioned how she was overwhelmed due to the presence of legends like Serena Williams. Ben revealed, “She told me during our first interview that she had been avoiding making eye contact with Serena in the locker room because she was that shy.”

This little detail shows that Osaka was truly an introvert who was very intimidated by top players in the sport. However, her growth through time has been immense. She has grown to be very strong and outspoken, and of course, she has very well embraced the success she has earned with grand slam titles and records.

READ MORE: ‘That Bothers Me’ – Dissatisfied Chinese Tennis Icon Sheds Light on Her Biggest Career Ordeal in a Candid Confession

Well, she truly does have an impact on people as this is the second time something about her life is being depicted through media. Before this book, a Netflix documentary series was also released that followed every aspect of Naomi Osaka’s life.

Osaka’s life gets a second chance to be in the limelight after her documentary

Before Rothenberg’s biography, Naomi Osaka also had a Netflix series, a limited one which focused on documenting her life. This series provided unknown incidents from Osaka’s incredible journey so far in tennis. It revealed how different aspects, such as her cultural roots and family background, played a role in helping her to become a tennis star and a leader in the sport.

This series is a mix of interviews and, of course, a tad of fiction with previews from the past incidents in the life of Osaka. We are sure this was enjoyed by her fans and now, with the book, her fans will be able to know more about her life.

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