Naomi Osaka Addresses Fans After Loss and Being Heckled By Fans

Tennis player Naomi Osaka is no stranger to mental illness and seemed to break down during her match Saturday at the Indian Wells Tournament outside of Palm Springs.

Osaka was playing against Veronika Kudermetova when a female fan yelled “Naomi, you suck!”

Fans were quick to yell back at the fan, but Osaka was visibly upset.

Osaka pleaded the ump to take the microphone to address the audience, saying, “I just want to say something. I’m not going to curse. I don’t curse. It’s just weighing on my heart.”

Officials did not let her talk on the mic, but stated that the fan would be thrown out if they said anything again.

Osaka lost 6-0 and 6-4 and was eliminated from the tournament.

Following her elimination, she took the microphone to speak to the crowd.

Naomi Osaka asked for the microphone after her loss against Veronika Kudermetova. Here’s what she said. pic.twitter.com/0Pj9WnNe4t

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) March 13, 2022

Osaka addressed the crowd saying that she wasn’t bothered by the heckler, she had been heckled before. It was more of the video of Serena and Venus being heckled at that exact tournament in 2001 after Venus withdrew because of an injury. Serena was so upset about it that she did not play in the tournament again for 15 years.

Veronika Kudermetova will take on Marie Bouzkova in the round of 32 on Monday, March 14th.

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