I feel like I'm more comfortable talking to people. I've been put in the position where I have to, and it's not something I can avoid anymore.
— Naomi Osaka
I feel like I didn't really know how to cope with not playing well.
What makes me relaxed is the fact that I know I've put in a lot of time during the offseason on my fitness.
My mum has sacrificed a lot for me, and it means a lot for her to come and watch my matches.
Even when I was a little kid, I always dreamed that I would play Serena in a final of a Grand Slam.
Of course I'm happy that I won a Grand Slam. I don't think there's anything that can take away from that.
I grew up surrounded by both Haitian and Japanese culture.
For me, I do better in Grand Slams. I like when there's more people watching.
Japanese culture? I kind of love everything about it. I love the food. Everyone's really nice. There's just a lot about Japan that's really cool.
I'm really grateful that I get a lot of Japanese press.
In a perfect dream, things would be set exactly the way you would want them. But I think it's more interesting that in real life, things aren't exactly the way you planned.
I don't know if anybody knows this, but Serena's my favorite player. Just playing against her is kind of like a dream for me, so I'm very grateful that I was able to play her, and it's even better that I was able to win.
Every time I have a dream, somehow I accomplish it.
For me, it's, like, no secret that Serena is my favorite.
If - when someone asks me a question, if I could just focus on not joking, I think that would be great, because for some reason, I can't.
For me, grand slams are something you dream about playing as a kid.
The thing is, I'm used to handshakes. Every time someone comes for a hug, I'm very confused. I'm told that I give out the worst hugs, too.
When you have to do small talk, you know, 'Hello, how are you?' after that, I don't know what to do. I go, 'OK, then,' and walk away.
Most people know me for U.S. Open, right? And during U.S. Open, I didn't show any emotions most of the time. But then after that, I did show - well, in my opinion, it was a lot of emotions. I got upset, and then I threw my racket or stuff like that.
I like sweating.
You know how some people get worked up about things? That's a very human thing to do. Sometimes, I don't know - like, I feel like I don't want to waste my energy doing stuff like that. I think about this on the court, too.
I get that I'm tan, and I would stand out a little bit in Japan.
I think everybody who sees me would think that I'm really scary or something. But I'm not!
Ever since I can remember, I played better against bigger players on bigger courts.
This is going to sound weird, but I never went to normal school; I went to online school.
Haiti, if you've ever met a Haitian person, they are just really positive, and literally, if you're friends with them, then they will do anything for you. So I think that's something that is, like, a really good trait, and I'm really happy that my grandparents and my dad's side of the family is like that.
It takes me a while to absorb things.
Everyone around me has more confidence in me than I do in myself.
Actually, I live in FL now. But, I mean, of course I'm very honored to be playing for Japan. But my dad's side is Haitian, so represent.
I guess I tell jokes a lot, but I'm not really that sure because sometimes they don't laugh, and they just stare at me like I said something insulting.
I don't know if I'm 'normal.'
I'm just really excited every time I play a match.
When I play my match, everything else is completely not in my mind anymore.
Sorry, public speaking isn't really my strong side.
In my day-to-day, I might speak, like, 10 sentences.
I feel like I play better when I'm calm. There is an inner peace I can tap into sometimes during my matches.
When you're little, you're taught not to look at, like, if your opponent gets angry or anything.
I feel like I'm a child of the Internet, and the Internet has raised me, and its jokes might not be appropriate at certain times. So, I keep them locked inside.
Honestly, I feel like people don't look at other people when they're walking around.
I don't necessarily feel like I'm American. I wouldn't know what that feels like.
You can easily get depressed. Usually, if you play sports, you think that one match or one game is very important, and when you lose it, you think your whole world is over.
You just gotta keep going and fighting for everything, and one day you'll get to where you want.
I was born in Osaka. I came to New York when I was three. I moved from New York to Florida when I was, like, eight or nine, and then I have been training in Florida since.
I don't really know what feeling Japanese or Haitian or American is supposed to feel like. I just feel like me.
I don't think there is ever going to be another Serena Williams.
For me, every practice and match I've played, it feels like the year is short and long at the same time. I'm aware of all the work I put in.
Oh, my God, I literally only have, like, one friend that I'm actually completely, like, myself with.
With some of the journalists, I've known them for years now, and I kind of consider them like my friends, so I always tend to joke around, and some people don't get it.
I can't really act entitled.
It's not necessarily the best situation for me to try to hug someone unless I really know them. And I don't really know anybody, so.
