‘It feels like a dream:’ Naomi Osaka earns first win at Wimbledon since 2018
The four-time grand slam champion twice went down a break of serve in the third and deciding set, but fought back to earn the win on her first appearance in SW19 for five years.
Osaka returned to tennis at the start of 2024 after more than a year away from the sport prioritizing her mental health and then becoming a mother in July.
Osaka said “it feels like a dream” to be back at Wimbledon.
“I’m just really excited to be here,” she said in her post-match interview. “It’s funny, Wimbledon was the first tournament I watched after pregnancy and my daughter is turning one tomorrow, so I’m really glad to still be here.
“I wish I could say I enjoyed it (the match) all the time – my heart was racing a lot – but I feel like these are the types of matches that you have to play in order to ease into the tournament.”
Now ranked No. 113 in the world, Osaka is competing as a wildcard at Wimbledon this year. She has won all four of her grand slams on the hard courts of the US Open and Australia, but has never been past the third round at the All England Club.
Osaka faces American 19 seed Emma Navarro in the second round on Wednesday.
Elsewhere, No. 2 seed Coco Gauff needed little over an hour to ease into the second round with a 6-1 6-2 victory over friend and compatriot Caroline Dolehide.
Gauff, who has never been past the fourth round at Wimbledon, suffered a shock defeat to Sofia Kenin in the first round last year, which she said is why she was a “little emotional” after Monday’s win.
“Wimbledon is, I wouldn’t say the place where the dream started but maybe where I believed the dream was possible,” she said in her post-match interview.
“I’ve played on a lot of big courts but every time I play here, it’s the most nervous I ever feel playing tennis, even more than playing a grand slam final.
“There’s just something about Centre Court that is so special here at Wimbledon, so it’s an honor to be back playing here and I don’t take it for granted.”
Gauff will play Romania’s Anca Todoni in the second round.
Osaka's return to tennis after motherhood and time away for mental health has been challenging at times, as shown by her battling back from a break down in a crucial set during her Wimbledon match. Despite this, she remains passionate about her sport, stating, "I wish I could say I enjoyed it all the time, but these are the types of matches you have to play in order to ease into the tournament."
Gauff, who's competing at Wimbledon after a disappointing first-round exit last year, expressed her love for the tournament, saying, "Wimbledon is, I wouldn't say the place where the dream started but maybe where I believed the dream was possible." She then shared her nerves, admitting, "There’s just something about Centre Court that is so special here at Wimbledon, so it’s an honor to be back playing here and I don't take it for granted."
