Naomi Osaka rejects ‘Clayomi’ nickname but relishes getting results at Foro Italico
Naomi Osaka delivered arguably the most accomplished clay court performance of her career to date in Rome this weekend.
Osaka was on top of her game as she swept to a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Daria Kasatkina on a surface she has traditionally struggled to come to grips with.
The victory came with little fuss or fanfare but there was no doubt that it was a significant result for Osaka, who is still finding her feet on the WTA Tour after a long break.
Osaka’s efforts certainly struck a chord with fans on social media who have taken to dubbing her ‘Clayomi’.
Osaka wasn’t terribly pleased with the nickname which she deemed as premature at the very least.
When informed of her new moniker, Osaka was more than a little embarrassed. She said that she was delighted to give her fans something to cheer for but really feels that she needs to achieve a lot more on the surface to earn this sort of praise.
“Please don’t,” Osaka said of social media getting a little bit carried away.
“Please. I think I need more clay credentials for that. But I’m happy that they’re happy.”
Osaka is a four-time Major winner, but she won those championships on Melbourne’s and New York’s relentless and rapid hard courts. By many accounts, Osaka’s current form is the finest of her career, and this is just the third time she has won three straight matches on clay.
Her previous best performance on clay came as a qualifier in Stuttgart in 2019 but the players she beat in her deep run on that occasion weren’t quite as adept as those she has dispatched in Rome.
Osaka recalled being blown off the court by Kasatkina in a recent practice match in Madrid and was delighted to make a massive improvement to secure an upset over the Russian in Rome.
“I remember her beating me like 6-0, or 6-1, if I’m being generous to myself,” Osaka said with a smile she could barely suppress.
“For some reason when the match started, I didn’t really know how to play on clay. I didn’t know how to structure the point.
“I’m very happy that apparently I figured it out.”
The new mum says that her state of mind has helped her turn things around on clay which she believes is a surface that demands a lot of a player mentally.
“It’s definitely more mental,” Osaka said.
“I could always do it. I’m a little impatient. When you hit a heavier ball, for me, I feel like I think about a moon ball. It didn’t really click until I was watching Nadal play and seeing how he actually accelerates so much when he’s doing that, knowing that a heavier ball sometimes is more difficult than a flatter shot.
“Yeah, I feel like I just did a lot of homework.”
The Former No 1 says that she is most thrilled just to be making progress in her game and inching her way back up the rankings.
“Winning three matches here is something that I’m extremely positive and happy about,” Osaka said. “I don’t take it for granted at all. I am just very inspired by the players that I’m watching now.
“I wish with my whole heart to be where they are, so I’m doing whatever it takes. I feel like I’m just clawing my way back to hopefully where I think I belong.”
