I Imagine Myself In Her Shoes And It S A Little Bit Scary But You Want People To Lend Their Voice And Ask Questions Naomi Osaka On Peng Shuai S Situation

Peng Shuai, formerly ranked as high as No. 14, disappeared after accusing former Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault. Although she had a video call with IOC President Thomas Bach and recently appeared in public, there are still concerns over her well-being and freedom.

The WTA, the governing body of women’s tennis, has severed ties with China amid concerns over her safety, while a host of players, including Osaka, have expressed their support for Peng.

When asked whether it was her own moral compass or the fact that she shared the locker room with the Chinese that prompted Osaka to speak out, the Japanese said it was a combination of both.

The Japanese also said that while she finds it “really hard to come out of her shell”, she would love to connect with Peng in the future.

The Japanese admitted that being in Peng’s situation would be a scary proposition for her.

“I’m trying to build the point and stuff, kind of build a tennis IQ” - Naomi Osaka on her new approach

During the press conference, the four-time Major winner was also asked about her level of play in her second-round win over Madison Brengle. After taking the opening set 6-0, the Japanese suffered a second-set wobble, which briefly allowed the American to take the lead.

Osaka hit back immediately to win three straight games and seal a 6-0, 6-4 win. Nevetheless, the Japanese admitted that she was “really disappointed” with her play in that game.

The Japanese did add, however, that such hiccups during early-round matches would help her mentally as she progressed deeper into a Slam.

The Japanese burst onto the scene as something of a ball-basher but she has since reigned in a lot of her aggression and is more patient in points. When asked if she would ever consider “dialing up to full power again,” she laughed off the question and said it would not work for her.

Osaka stressed that she has started placing a lot of importance on point construction.

The Japanese will face USA’s Amanda Anisimova for a place in the second week of the 2022 Australian Open.

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