Social

'It's all about to click': An optimistic Naomi Osaka signs off from Madrid

By Baseline Staff Apr 27, 2024
Social

Just legend things: Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal share the love in Rome

By Baseline Staff May 10, 2024
Social

Karolina Muchova shares footage from return to practice after wrist surgery

By Baseline Staff May 09, 2024
Social

"Grateful" Andrey Rublev gives shoutout to Madrid doctors as he departs for Rome

By Stephanie Livaudais May 08, 2024
Social

Diego Schwartzman makes cheeky ask for Roland Garros wild card after announcing impending retirement

By Baseline Staff May 07, 2024
Social

'Don't laugh!' Andreeva, Fritz, Korda, Jabeur, Sinner and more try out the one-handed backhand

By Baseline Staff May 05, 2024
Social

Paula Badosa announces that she and Stefanos Tsitsipas have ended their romantic relationship

By Baseline Staff May 05, 2024
Social

"You’ll be back": Felix Auger-Aliassime writes Madrid message for injured Jiri Lehecka

By Baseline Staff May 03, 2024
Social

Nicolas Moreno de Alboran opens up about recent health battle with dengue fever complications

By Baseline Staff May 03, 2024
Social

PHOTOS: Rafael Nadal waves goodbye in emotional Madrid ceremony as tributes pour in on social media

By Baseline Staff Apr 30, 2024
Social

'It's all about to click': An optimistic Naomi Osaka signs off from Madrid

The former world No. 1 scored her first clay-court win since 2022 before bowing out from the Caja Mágica.

ByBaseline Staff

Published Apr 27, 2024

Something big is coming—Naomi Osaka can feel it, if the optimistic note that the former world No. 1 penned on social media following her second-round exit from the Mutua Madrid Open is to be believed.

"I think I’m on to something. It’s all about to click, I feel it in the air," Osaka wrote on social media Friday, along with a photo of herself playing at the tournament.

Osaka has reason to be feeling positive after the second event of her comeback to clay courts: On her least-favored surface, the former world No. 1 scored her first clay-court win since 2022 over Belgian Greet Minnen in the opening round before bowing out from the Caja Mágica in three tough sets to No. 15 seed Liudmila Samsonova. She's already played two events on clay this spring, and is also entered in the upcoming WTA 1000 in Rome.

After the win against Minnen, Osaka told reporters that she was eager to embrace clay courts more than she had in previous years.

"There's definitely beauty to it, and I'm taking a lot of inspiration from people who do well on it," she said. "I'm not expecting to be like Iga [Swiatek], but I just want to do the best with what I have."

Advertising

In her post, Osaka also waxed poetically of her recent appearance on "Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios," where she mused about the lessons of her past, reality of her present and hopes for the future, and about her hopes of leaving a lasting legacy.

"How bold of me to assume I'll live long enough to fade away," Osaka wrote. "After all, nothing in life is promised. Every day and every breath is a blessing, it should be viewed as such.

"How bold of me to assume tomorrow is promised, to final joy and happiness in all moments of life is true wealth."

But the four-time Grand Slam champion will now have little time for any further reflections, as the Internazionali BNL d'Italia begins in 10 days. It will be Osaka's fifth career appearance at the Foro Italico, but just her second since reaching the quarterfinals in 2019.