Naomi Osaka Caught Off Guard by Angry Comments from Opponent After Beating Her at Australian Open
- - Naomi Osaka Caught Off Guard by Angry Comments from Opponent After Beating Her at Australian Open
Charlotte PhillippJanuary 23, 2026 at 6:17 AM
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Sorana Cirstea and Naomi Osaka during day five of the 2026 Australian Open. -
Naomi Osaka was involved in a heated exchange with Romanian player Sorana Cîrstea during the Australian Open, but later apologized for the tension
Osaka said that she thought Cîrstea was upset that Osaka was verbally hyping herself up during the match
"I guess that emotions were very high for her. I also want to apologize," the four-time major winner said
Naomi Osaka was involved in a heated exchange with Romanian player Sorana Cîrstea during the Australian Open.
During the second round of the 2026 Australian Open on Thursday, Jan. 22, Osaka, 28, could be heard telling herself "come on," as Cîrstea, 35, was between her first and second serves.
Video shows Cîrstea immediately asking the umpire if "this is OK," questioning if her opponent was allowed to talk in between serves.
"Between serves? You haven't got the ball yet, either," the official tells Cîrstea, who pointedly repeats Osaka's comments and asks, "Can I go, 'come on,' and talk?"
"You're not serving yet so this is not a hindrance to you," the umpire replies. "So this was OK."
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Sorana Cirstea of Romania shakes hands with Naomi Osaka of Japan.
After the match — which Osaka, who represents Japan, won, with final scores of 6-3, 4-6 and 6-2 — the two players met at mid-court to shake hands.
Cîrstea's handshake was icy, and video showed Osaka saying something in reply. The two then had a brief, seemingly heated exchange near the umpire's chair.
In a post-match interview, Osaka said that she thought Cîrstea was upset that she was verbally hyping herself up during the match.
When asked what it took to defeat Cîrstea, Osaka said: "Apparently a lot of 'come ons' that she was angry about," per the BBC.
Osaka was then asked if her opponent was complaining because she could hear her talking to herself between serves.
"I think so, but, like, she could have asked me. I'm sorry," Osaka said.
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"I guess that emotions were very high for her. I also want to apologize," Osaka said
"She's a great player. I think this was her last Australian Open, so sorry she was mad about it," the Japanese tennis star added, to uproar from the crowd.
At the post-match press conference, Osaka apologized for her comments, saying she did not mean to disrespect Cîrstea — but still expressed confusion about what exactly had happened.
"I'm a little confused. I guess that emotions were very high for her. I also want to apologize," the four-time major winner said. "I think the first couple of things that I said on the court were disrespectful. I don't like disrespecting people. That's not what I do."
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"When I'm pumping myself up, in my head I’m not like, 'Okay, now I'm going to distract the other person.' It's purely for me," she added, per the Athletic.
Cîrstea later downplayed the exchange, saying there was "no drama" between herself and Osaka, according to the BBC.
Osaka is set to move on to the third round of the event and will play Australian Maddison Inglis on Saturday, marking the first time she's reached the third round at the Australian Open since 2022.
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Osaka of Japan celebrates her win on January 22, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia.
Osaka also made headlines for her style at the Australian Open, as she walked on to the court for her first match wearing an ocean blue tie-dye tracksuit jacket with white wide-leg pleated bottoms — both adorned with ruffles.
The former No. 1 player said that the look was inspired by a jellyfish — which she saw in a book while reading to her two-year-old daughter, Shai.
"Nike let me design this one," she said, per the BBC. "I'm so grateful I get to be able to do the things that I love. It's really beautiful."
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Source: “AOL Sports”
