'I think she hasn’t played enough' - Barbara Schett feels Naomi Osaka will struggle to defend US Open title
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ByEurosport
Updated 25/08/2021 at 17:48 GMT
“I think she hasn’t played enough tennis this year to do some damage or win another US Open title,” Eurosport expert Barbara Schett said of Naomi Osaka. “That’s what I think but we know if she’s on top of her game, she can beat anybody. It’s not just tennis wise physically, it’s the mental part as well.
Naomi Osaka
Image credit: Getty Images
Barbara Schett does not feel Naomi Osaka has played enough tennis this year to defend her US Open crown.
Osaka heads to New York to defend her crown with question marks over her form and mental well-being on the back of her withdrawal from the French Open and absence at Wimbledon after opening up about her struggles with press conferences.
The four-time major winner is having to battle with the demands of life on tour, while she faced huge pressure at the Olympics as she was the face of Tokyo 2020 after being given the honour of lighting the flame at the opening ceremony.
Osaka suffered a shock loss to Marketa Vondrousova in the third round in Tokyo, and her form is in question after she was beaten by Jil Teichmann at the same stage of the Western & Southern Open.
Eurosport expert Schett feels Osaka has not got enough tennis in her legs to go all the way at Flushing Meadows.
“I think she hasn’t played enough tennis this year to do some damage or win another US Open title,” Schett said. “That’s what I think but we know if she’s on top of her game, she can beat anybody.
It’s not just tennis wise physically, it’s the mental part as well. I think she worries now that everybody talks about this which puts additional pressure on her. She probably feels pressure enough though the media are really respecting her problems.
“We’ll see at the beginning of the tournament how she will handle the occasion, where she’s at and then we’ll go from there. I don’t think she’s played enough tennis this year to win another Grand Slam title.”
In her most recent tournament appearance in Cincinnati, Osaka broke down in tears during a press conference.
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Osaka left in tears, has to leave press conference after exchange with reporter
Schett has admitted it is uncomfortable to watch Osaka’s struggles with the media, but stressed press conferences are a vital part of the sport and that the Japanese superstar may need to take some time away from the game to find a way to overcome the problems.
"It’s very sad to see, like in that first press conference when she came back, she was struggling once again,” Schett said. “It’s very difficult for us to look into her head and see what’s going on there.
The only thing I know is she has to find a way to overcome these fears or moments such as press conferences where she feels uncomfortable and if that means taking time away from tennis, working with psychologists then she needs to do that.
“Those press conferences are essential, they are important. I don’t think they are too bad for the players. At the end of the day, you’re talking about your game. If certain questions come up, you don’t necessarily have to answer them and you don’t take certain questions too seriously as well. It’s part of the game.
“We’ve seen Naomi struggle with that but then on the other side she has been very outgoing with other things - on social media, with sponsors, documentaries…
“I think she needs to find the right balance. I think that’s the key and the most important thing is that she still enjoys the game of tennis and all that comes with it.”
The US Open gets underway in New York on August 30.
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