You just gotta keep going and fighting for everything, and one day you'll get to where you want.
Naomi Osaka
I feel like I play better when I'm calm. There is an inner peace I can tap into sometimes during my matches.
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 can't let myself act immature, in a way.
Every time I have a dream, somehow I accomplish it.
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.
I think, for me, I just really want to have fun with every match that I play because tennis is a game.
I don't really know what feeling Japanese or Haitian or American is supposed to feel like. I just feel like me.
Oh, my God, I literally only have, like, one friend that I'm actually completely, like, myself with.
Ever since I can remember, I played better against bigger players on bigger courts.
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.
For me, as long as my family's happy, I'm happy.
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.
I get that I'm tan, and I would stand out a little bit in Japan.
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.
When you're little, you're taught not to look at, like, if your opponent gets angry or anything.
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.
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 don't think you can win a Grand Slam and not be confident in yourself.
My mum has sacrificed a lot for me, and it means a lot for her to come and watch my matches.
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.
In my day-to-day, I might speak, like, 10 sentences.
I can't really act entitled.
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.
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.
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 like sweating.
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 think everybody who sees me would think that I'm really scary or something. But I'm not!
I don't think there is ever going to be another Serena Williams.
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.
Everyone around me has more confidence in me than I do in myself.
For me, it's, like, no secret that Serena is my favorite.
I feel like I didn't really know how to cope with not playing well.
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.
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.
Honestly, I feel like people don't look at other people when they're walking around.
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.
Sorry, public speaking isn't really my strong side.
It takes me a while to absorb things.
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.
What makes me relaxed is the fact that I know I've put in a lot of time during the offseason on my fitness.
This is going to sound weird, but I never went to normal school; I went to online school.
I'm always smiling.
I'm not really the type that spends money on myself.
For me, grand slams are something you dream about playing as a kid.
I don't know if I'm 'normal.'
I'm really grateful that I get a lot of Japanese press.
For me, I do better in Grand Slams. I like when there's more people watching.
