‘Still the GOAT’- Worried Tennis Fans Console Naomi Osaka After Her Quick Health Update Goes Viral Post Defeat to Coco Gauff

Naomi Osaka’s year has been anything but smooth. After enduring shocking defeats and heartbreaking exits from most of the major tournaments she participated in, it seemed like her season was slipping away. Just as the tennis world thought Osaka was ready to make her grand return at the Asian Open, an unexpected health struggle threw her off course yet again. But if there’s one thing Osaka can always count on, it’s the unwavering support of her fans.

The Japanese sensation played her latest match against Coco Gauff in the China Open. She started on a dominant note, winning the first set 6-3. But soon, the struggle seemed to return for the player, and she decided to withdraw from the match after losing the second set 6-4. Osaka later acknowledged she had a persistent back pain that forced her to retire from to prioritize her health. Now, the star player has shared an update on her status, and the tennis community cannot be in more unison to express their love for her.

Taking to Instagram, the 26-year-old shared two pictures of herself. In the first picture, she can be seen in her tennis outfit on the courts of Beijing. In the second picture, Osaka can be observed in green attire, similar to those given to patients in hospitals. Captioning the post, the star player wrote, “How the day started -> how it ended lol.” But neither her post nor her struggles go unnoticed by her fans.

As soon as the post gained traction on the social media platform, several users highlighted their worry for the star player. They reflected on her stature in the sport and wished her a speedy recovery and a dominant return to the courts yet again.

Fans rally their support behind Naomi Osaka
Taking to Instagram, one user wrote, “You’re still the goat. Heal up 🙏” The tennis star has not witnessed one of the best seasons. The highest stage she played was at the Qatar Open and the Rosmalen grass court championships, where she qualified till the quarterfinals. The intensity of the heartbreak was even more at the American Swing.

Osaka failed to reach even the main draw at the Cincinnati Masters and was ousted in her second qualifier match at the event. However, she has continued to remain a dominant force which can be evident from the fact that she quickly reached closer to the Top 50 and is placed at No. 58 in the WTA Live rankings. Hence, fans have continued to believe in her talent and express support for her. More such reactions followed.

Responding to the post, one user wrote, “Proud of you girl❤️ growth isn’t supposed to be linear.” Remember, Osaka herself revealed how she even struggled to step onto the court but decided to give it a shot against Gauff in her China Open match. “I locked my back up during practice earlier and honestly wasn’t sure if I could even play but I just wanted to try, unfortunately things just got progressively worse during the match,” Osaka shared on social media. “Totally worth it though lol,” she added. Similar reactions were witnessed from other users as well who joined the fray to shower their love on Osaka.