Naomi Osaka is back in the third round of the Australian Open after a tight three-set victory against Sorana Cirstea.
While the match itself was a gripping watch and much of the discussion around Osaka this tournament has centred on her unique outfit, which even had the current World No.1s talking, it was the way this second-round match ended that caused the most drama.
Handshake Drama Sparks Controversy
As the former World No.1 converted the match point, she went for the usual player handshakes, where she was met by a visibly unimpressed Cirstea. The Romanian offered a cold handshake, and when Osaka asked why, Cirstea suggested that Osaka should show more “fair play” during matches.
Known for her calm and friendly demeanour, Osaka appeared stunned by the comment and did not take the accusation lightly during her on-court interview. When asked about the interaction, the four-time Major champion responded:
“Apparently, a lot of come ons that she was angry about, but whatever. I mean, I tried to play well. I think I hit a lot of unforced errors, but I tried my best. She’s a great player. I think this was her last Australian Open. So, sorry she was mad about it.”
This response was highly uncharacteristic of Osaka, who later in her press conference admitted she wished she had handled the on-court interview differently and said she would not mind speaking with Cirstea to put the situation behind them.
While the incident has arguably generated the drama the tournament had been missing so far, for Osaka, the focus now turns to the next step in her bid to reclaim the Australian Open title. She will be back in action on Saturday against Maddison Inglis, looking to reach a consecutive Major second week for the first time since her return to tour.
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
