Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts after winning a point against Diane Parry of France during their first-round match of the Wimbledon tennis championship in London, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
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Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
Naomi Osaka won her first Wimbledon match in six years on Monday, beating French player Diane Parry.
Osaka won 6-1, 1-6, 6-4, taking the last two games of the third set.
“It felt really fun and really stressful at the same time… I think the match was a little bit hit and miss, but I think overall it was something I learned a lot from,” she said at a post-match press conference.
Osaka has spoken openly about her struggles on lawns and is working to develop a more positive outlook on life, as she can often view herself negatively, she said.
In 2021, the Japanese took a short break from the sport after withdrawing from the French Open and losing the US Open due to mental health issues.
She later took a longer break after becoming pregnant with her daughter Shai, who Osaka said turns 1 on Tuesday. Osaka decided not to play in the Eastbourne International tournament last week because she was hosting her daughter's birthday party, she said.
“I think my mindset last year was just trying to survive,” she said. “I honestly didn't know what was going to happen after I gave birth, but yeah, I was just trying to pick myself up.”
She added: “It feels really, really cool. I find myself constantly being surprised by things on the ground and it's just really nice to win a match.”
Osaka will next play American Emma Navarro in the second round of the tournament. Navarro will represent the US at this summer's Olympic Games in Paris, as will Coco Gauff, who also won at Wimbledon on Monday.
