Naomi Osaka’s preparation for the hard-court season is off to an eventful start. The Japanese star shared an amusing behind-the-scenes glimpse into her morning training routine, capturing her coaches’ playful shenanigans on a messy court, while Osaka herself walked around wearing brand-new sneakers, feeling hilariously disgusted with the mess created on the court.
Naomi Osaka is all set to hit the hard court after her quarterfinal defeat at Wimbledon to Karolina Muchova. Osaka did not let her guard down and instead, during the post-match conference, vowed to tackle the US Open season with all the grit in her arsenal.
Now weeks later, Osaka has started prepping for the upcoming Washington Open, but before going full blast on her practice, the former world No. 1 decided to post a story on her Instagram that depicts a messy yet hilarious outing on her practice court, filled with dirt spots, mess, and antics of her coaches, all being baked under the scorching sun.
Osaka recorded her walk towards the court and jokingly complained about how dirty the court was, covered in sweat marks, which were a result of earlier practice sessions.
She then spotted her coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski, lying on his front on the court and reminded everyone that the brutal summer heat made him change his shirt to green. As coach Wiktorowski peeled himself off the ground, Osaka’s camera caught a small puddle of sweat left behind on the spot.
“It’s a disgusting morning. I’m literally sweating so much. Got my footprint all on the court,” she said.
“Tomasz changed his shirt, because it is literally [so Hot]. This is crazy,” she added.
The Japanese star sported a pair of pink Nike GP Challenge sneakers, which she usually wears when competing on the hard court. The model features Air Zoom units that help provide comfort for players during lateral movements, along with a durable sole suited for the hard courts.
Naomi Osaka All Set to Compete at The Hard Court Season
Weeks after exiting Wimbledon and bidding farewell to the grass season for a year, Naomi Osaka is ready to shift her focus to the hard courts, where the Japanese has historically prevailed.
The Japanese star has won all four of her Grand Slam titles on the hard surface, starting with her 2018 US Open win and her three subsequent triumphs at the Australian Open and US Open back-to-back.
Osaka has not won a Grand Slam title since 2021, and it remains to be seen if the former World No. 1 can finally find her calling at this hard-court season.
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