‘Like breathing air’: Naomi Osaka rediscovers joy in tennis on her favourite court

Naomi Osaka beat Coco Gauff in the fourth round of the 2025 US Open, reaching her first major quarter-final since 2021. (AP)

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Naomi Osaka walked out on the court with glitter-dusted ponytail and a Labubu doll during her opening round at the 2025 US Open.

Naomi Osaka has showcased four different labubus during her four matches at the 2025 US Open. (Image: X)

Naomi Osaka, left, of Japan, greets Coco Gauff, of the United States, after their match in the fourth round of the US Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Naomi Osaka, of Japan, returns a shot against Coco Gauff, of the United States, during the fourth round of the US Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Naomi Osaka and her style have sparkled at the ongoing US Open in Flushing Meadows. She's made quite the fashion statement with red roses on her hairpiece, red jacket and dress studded with crystals during the evening session. During the day session, she wore a bright purple dress covered in crystals.Then there have been the "labubus" to finish off the ensemble. The crystal-encrusted plush toys which have become quite the range across the world. The names have had tennis inspiration: 'Arthur Flash', like Arthur Ashe; 'La Billie Bu' and 'Billie Jean Bling', after Billie Jean King; and 'Althea Glitterson', inspired by Althea Gibson. All trailblazers of the sport and all who made their mark in the sport.In her brief career, Naomi Osaka has had an equally impressive and lasting impact. She's won four Grand Slam titles - two each at the Australian and US Opens. She became the first Japanese to win a major singles title. At the Tokyo Olympics, she lit the Olympic cauldron.Off the court, Osaka, now a mother, led the Black Lives Matter protest and has spoken openly about depression and dealing with mental health issues. Her struggles, and advocacy, resulted in the French Open offering in-tournament assistance to players.Now, at the 2025 US Open, Naomi Osaka is back and creating quite the flutter on the court. On Monday, she took out home favourite and World No. 3 Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 to register her first Grand Slam quarter-final spot in four-and-a-half years (since the 2021 Australian Open).She had yearned for days like these, ever since returning to tennis at the start of 2024, following the birth of her daughter. The wait continued amid desperation, frustration and personnel changes. Last year, as she lost in the second round at the US Open, she said, "my heart dies every time I lose." She was reduced to tears in May after a first round loss at the French Open.On Arthur Ashe Stadium, the expression was far different. The 27-year-old Osaka was smiling as she brought up match point and that beaming expression continued, with a clenched fist, as Gauff's forehand hit the net. She waved her racket and the crowd roared even though she had just beaten an American.During the on-court interview, she emphasised on her journey. Two years ago, she was seated in the stands and watched as Gauff won her semi-final and eventually the title."I was telling everyone I was in the stands like two months after I gave birth to my daughter (and) watching Coco. I just really wanted an opportunity to come out here and play. This is my favourite court in the world and it means so much to me to be back here," she said as the decibel level went up."I, maybe, was a little empty," admitted Gauff later in what has been a trying two weeks for her. The same cannot be said for Osaka.The Japanese player has dropped only one set on her way to the quarter-final. And with Karolina Muchova next, she has good reason to be optimistic of her chances if history is any indication. In the four previous instances where she's reached the quarterfinals of a major, she's gone on to win it.The mindset of returning to the big stage, playing in the biggest stadium in tennis, is hardly unnerving. Rather, she relished walking out on Ashe for the first time in five years.“For me the main thing I want to take away from this tournament is just smiling and having fun,” Osaka said in the press conference. “I know in my first round I was too nervous to smile, and my (third-round) match against (Daria) Kasatkina was just really not smiley at all. Going into this match, I just wanted to be grateful.”The run in Montreal, coming from two match points down against Liudmila Samsonova, and straight sets success over World No. 13 Elina Svitolina, gave her the confidence she needed. Bringing in Iga Swiatek's former coach Tomasz Wiktorowski has been equally important. As the duo worked on the practice court, the message from the Pole was clear: 'not every ball is a winner.'“I think physically in my head I know that I’m capable of rallying a lot, so I don’t overplay,” Osaka said. “I kind of am OK with just waiting. Granted, I’m not a defensive player, so it’s not like I’m trying to move side-to-side, but it’s more like the silent confidence of understanding that I don’t need to hit a winner at all times.”Against Gauff, Osaka won 16 of the 24 rallies that went five-plus shots. She also equally lethal on break points, converting each of the four chances she created.At the start of the year, Osaka said that if things didn’t improve, she wouldn’t be “the type of player that would hang around.” On Monday, reminded of those words, she backpeddled, describing her need to play tennis as 'breathing air'.And for all those 24,000 on Arthur Ashe Stadium and thousands watching at home, Osaka's presence and tennis are breath of fresh air that tennis needs.

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