QUESTIONS abound as Naomi Osaka prepares to mount a title defense at the US Open following a series of lackluster performances since she returned to the game after stepping away to focus on her mental health.
Osaka shot to global fame on the back of her four Grand Slam titles and support of racial justice causes, with many seeing the hard-hitting 23-year-old as the heir apparent to Serena Williams.
The Japanese player won the Australian Open earlier this year before opening up a conversation about mental health when she withdrew from the French Open and admitted she had struggled in the past with depression.
She skipped Wimbledon but, since returning, has failed to get past the third round of the Tokyo Olympics or last week’s Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.
“Osaka obviously has been having some struggles that she’s come forward with. It’s a little unpredictable,” ESPN analyst and Hall of Famer Pam Shriver told reporters on a call.
“But she’s going back to a place where she’s won it twice. Usually when you have those kinds of special memories, you can play some pretty good tennis,” she said. — Reuters
