Page 23 - Tennis Magazine April 2019

While the spotlight was on Serena during last year’s US Open
final—a match Osaka won, in straight sets—the 20-year-old’s
composure on the court, and comportment off of it, were
univerally lauded, including by Williams.

a second serve,” Osaka mused, “I’m even though she’s soft-spoken, she’s fitness. He put her through drills that
thinking, ‘Do not hit this down the line.’ very playful with the press, asking forced her to remain patient for long
Don’t go for it, right? And then there’s them questions back. It’s showing her periods. The work paid off immediately,
another part of me that’s like, ‘But if I charisma, her personality.” when Osaka beat two Top 5 players on
hit this down the line, there’s a 50/50 her way to the title in Indian Wells.
chance it will be a winner and you Before 2018, a question surrounding “She had this power,” Bajin said.
could win the point easily.’ And then Osaka was whether a player as inward- “She maybe didn’t quite know how to
when she’s serving the ball, I’m arguing looking as she is could succeed at the handle it or control it. Didn’t quite know
with myself: ‘Do it. Don’t do it. Do it. game’s highest level. Could she banish when to pull the trigger, when not to.
Don’t do it.’ And then the ball comes the doubt and embrace the adversity So I was trying to kind of maintain the
and I hit it down the line and it goes in that comes with competition? raw power, and then, at the same time,
the net. I’m like, ‘Why did I do that?’” Enter coach Bajin. When he began also show that there are other ways of
Many of Osaka’s comments—about working with Osaka in December creating pressure on the opponent.”
her awkwardness, her indecisiveness, 2017, she was ranked No. 68. But Osaka’s physical skills weren’t a
her fear of being laughed at—can Bajin knew this immense talent had surprise to Bajin. What he discovered
seem shockingly unguarded at first. the raw materials of a champion. He was that her personality also made his
But that quality makes her relatable says that while Serena and Osaka are job easier.
in a way most pro athletes, who are “completely different” people, they “What I really love about Naomi is
taught to always project self-confi- share similar instincts on court. that she really preserved that inno-
dence, never allow themselves to be. “They kind of want to play the cence,” Bajin said. “If she’s sad, she’s
“She’s growing into herself,” Chris same,” Bajin said last fall. “They are gonna show it. If she’s happy, she’s
Evert said at the Australian Open. very powerful, big serves, big hitters, gonna show it. There are no fake emo-
GETTY IMAGES “Two years ago, her answers would be both of them.” tions. And that makes it easy for me to
Bajin’s job, as he saw it, was to help
also understand her, because my job is
one-word answers. She was almost
a lot based on emotions as well.”
petrified to face the press. But now,
Osaka improve her consistency and

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