N. OSAKA/E. Lys
6-4, 4-6, 6-3
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. What was the key today?
NAOMI OSAKA: Honestly, I'm not so sure. I think for me, I think I played really well in the first set, then the second set I had a huge dip. The third, I just tried to I guess focus a lot more on being more intensive.
But she played really well. My first time playing her. I thought she was returning really well. It put a lot of pressure on me.
Q. What did she say to you at the net?
NAOMI OSAKA: I had a moment of I couldn't hear. But smiling, smile and wave. I also want to know. It seems like she was saying something really nice.
Q. How intense were things at the Met Gala?
NAOMI OSAKA: Man, that was really intense. The first year I went, I was really stressed out. This time it wasn't that bad. I was kind of shocked because I didn't have a review or anything the first time.
I trusted my team a lot, so...
Q. What it's like walking down the stairs with the red carpet?
NAOMI OSAKA: That itself wasn't stressful. My outfit was so heavy. I felt like I had a 20-pound vest on. But I just kept trying to tell myself to have good posture, because tennis players, sometimes we hunch over a lot.
But yeah, overall it was really cool. It was cool to see people that were outside of tennis, too.
Q. Can I ask about your coaching. Was Tomasz not in the box? Was he here?
NAOMI OSAKA: He has, like, a personal thing that he had to go do. But he told me about it beforehand. It wasn't like he just dipped out on me.
Q. Who is the coach who was kind of encouraging you?
NAOMI OSAKA: That's Matias. He's my hitting partner. He takes on the role of coach when Tomasz isn't there.
Q. What does scouting look like when you haven't played a player?
NAOMI OSAKA: Honestly, I kind of leave that up to my coach. I have a pretty big talk with him before. But honestly, we were coming off, like, a pretty good confidence momentum since Madrid. Obviously that was like a week and a half. I don't even know. It was a minute ago.
I feel pretty confident in my tennis. I think there's certain things that I want to improve on, but just building, building for me.
Q. On the Met Gala, how difficult is it to downshift and upshift from Madrid, jet back, get ready, jet, play a match one or two days later?
NAOMI OSAKA: Yeah, I mean, I knew I would have to do that. For me it's something that is not once in a lifetime, but it's just a really fun thing. I really love fashion. That's, like, the Grand Slam for all fashion.
Just to put myself out there and try to socialize, you know (smiling).
Q. I saw Venus and Serena and you interacting. What was that like? Was it nice to see familiar faces there or weird to see each other in non-tennis gear?
NAOMI OSAKA: For me it wasn't weird to see them because obviously Venus was a co-chair. Serena is there every year.
It was cool. I feel sad sometimes, like being on-site. Obviously I grew up with them, so I'd love to see them more.
Q. What was it like inside? Did you get to relax, enjoy the party?
NAOMI OSAKA: I kind of joined all the wallflowers inside. There were a bunch of really cool artists. It was cool to talk to them.
I think, like, everyone was just so nervous about the carpet, they just relaxed inside. For me, I just found it to be a really interesting people-watching event.
Q. (Question about spectators and betting.)
NAOMI OSAKA: So I don't look at people in the crowd except for my team. Like sometimes I hear people say, C'mon, from the first point. I'm like, that's a little suspicious. You must really like me or something (smiling).
No, other than that, not really. It would be interesting for me to hear what the other players have to say, though.
Q. Do you remember the last match that you watched from the stands from the first ball to last ball?
NAOMI OSAKA: Yikes... First ball to last ball is tough. I know like for United Cup I watched a lot of tennis. I don't think I was there from the first to the last.
Q. When you watch, are you watching as a fan or are you watching with your tennis brain?
NAOMI OSAKA: Both. But I would say probably more my tennis brain.
Q. Kind of I would do this or why do they do that?
NAOMI OSAKA: I don't think I ever judge them. It's more just fun to see other people's decision making.
Q. Speaking to a player who heard from another player they were using ChatGPT and AI to scout opponents, their strengths and weaknesses. As a player, does that sound a bit crazy?
NAOMI OSAKA: I mean, for me, yeah, because I don't use ChatGPT at all. But I know some people use it every day, so...
I don't know. Also like what happens if the ChatGPT is wrong?
Q. Why don't you use it? No interest?
NAOMI OSAKA: I just heard it takes up a lot of water. I kind of like the water we have on earth, so...
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