"My heart is broken for Naomi Osaka" - Fans saddened by Japanese losing to Peyton Stearns at Italian Open
Naomi Osaka's fans were disappointed after witnessing the Japanese put up a great show of tennis but eventually facing a loss to Peyton Stearns in the round of 16 at the Italian Open. Osaka lost 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(4) after giving the American a tight battle in what was a display of grit and determination from both players.
Having recently won the L'Open 35 Tournament in Saint Malo, Osaka is gradually trying to gain back her former prowess on the court. This match was a testament to her progress as she showed strength by trying to keep herself focused throughout the match and making a remarkable comeback in the second set.
This assured fans on the internet, as some lauded her for her hard work that is starting to pay off, while also talking about how this match was so close and hence, incredibly crushing for the 27-year-old. A user started an elaborate discussion on Reddit, where many fans came along to congratulate and sympathise with Osaka after the match.
Here are the fan reactions:
"My heart is broken for Naomi 😭💔 congrats to Peyton. Such a high level match from both but I’m going to need a couple hours to recover from that one 🥲," a supporter posted.
"That's an absolute heartbreaker for Naomi, but it was going to be a heartbreaker for whoever lost it. It was a really fantastic match though, and I'm happy for Peyton as well," wrote a fan.
"Such a heartbreaking end to a legendary match. I believe in the work Naomi is doing and she was so close. The results are coming. Kudos to Peyton hitting her top level. Ugh why was this a R4 match," wrote another.
"That was such a good, good match from both players. Some amazing rallies and shots. Heartbreaker for Naomi," a fan stated.
"The only good thing I learned today is that, Naomi’s mental strength really improved 100%! I’m proud of you Naomi," lauded another fan.
"Thank you Naomi for being such a fighter," another user posted.
Naomi Osaka had shared an emotional message after winning the WTA 125K tournament in France earlier this month.
Naomi Osaka after first clay court win
Naomi Osaka clinched the maiden clay court title of her career and ended her 4-year title drought earlier this month. She has been struggling with emotional and physical tumult and hasn't been able to pull through with wins after her childbirth.
Hence, after the momentous win, she took to X and wrote:
"Kinda ironic to win my first trophy back on the surface that I thought was my worst. That’s one of my favorite things about life though, there’s always room to grow and evolve. Thanks to everyone accompanying me on this journey, I know it’s turbulent but it’s also really fun and I’m grateful ❤️," she wrote.
Osaka will focus on gaining back strength at the French Open.