Page 4 - Tennis Magazine April 2019

Chrissie’s
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Now You See Her
‘m a ghost. You don’t see me.”
Naomi Osaka undoubtedly had
her tongue firmly planted in her
cheek when she said those words
during the Australian Open. Osaka
may want to remain under the
radar, but with back-to-back
Grand Slam titles, the No. 1 rank-
ing and the cover of Time—not to
mention this magazine—she had
better get used to the spotlight.
Yet as special as her game is,
it’s the 21-year-old’s humility and almost angelic inno-
cence that makes her so refreshing and endearing.
When you look at first-time Grand Slam champions, the
large majority stumble in their next Grand Slam tourna-
ment. The expectations of proving their title run wasn’t a
fluke can sometimes overwhelm even the most talented
players. Osaka had opportunities to succumb to this pat-
tern in Melbourne, dropping the opening sets of her third
and fourth-round matches. She rallied to win both, showing
as much resolve as she did timely shot-making. Her
second Slam confirmed that, rather than feeling satisfied,
her victory at last year’s US Open only whet her appetite.
She’s young, hungry and eager to fill her trophy case.
What impressed me most about Osaka’s run Down
Under was her ability to reset during a match, and not
let her emotions dictate the outcome. Plenty of women
hit huge and move well, but Osaka has a calmness and
composure, especially in important moments, that makes
her a unique talent.
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In the final against Petra Kvitova, Osaka lost three match
points in the second set and was taken to a deciding third.
The emotions she was showing—the burden of those
expectations—were understandable. Nobody would have
been shocked if she folded, especially against a two-time
Wimbledon champion. Instead, she found the inner peace
and self-belief that serves her so well, and took the title.
It’s easy when things are going your way. Take the men’s
final: Novak Djokovic played practically perfect tennis
against Rafael Nadal. He made Rafa look ordinary. Osaka
found herself in a thorny situation against a more experi-
enced opponent, yet had the superior resilience and focus
to win. Some of that belief comes from having already won
the US Open, but it’s also innate. Credit must also be given
to her coach, Sascha Bajin, whose valuable insights from
working with Serena Williams are clearly part of Osaka’s
meteoric rise.
But now comes the hard(er) part. Osaka can’t sneak up
on anyone anymore. She has huge titles to defend, includ-
ing at Indian Wells, where she first announced herself.
She will have to work even harder on the movement and
consistency that have so improved over the past year.
She will have to endure increased attention and demands
on her time because fans find this “ghost” charming and
likeable. And, oh yeah, she’s the No. 1 player in the world.
Naomi, everyone can see you. I hope it stays that way.
Chris Evert
Partner, TENNIS Magazine