Naomi Osaka unsure when the next match is, considering a break for a moment from tennis

NEW YORK – After losing in the third round at the US Open on Friday night, tearful Naomi Osaka said she’s unsure when she will play a competitive tennis match next time and will take a break from the sport for now.

In a news conference for Leylah Fernandez after a 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-4 loss, Osaka said the sport no longer brought him joy.

“I feel like I recently, like when I win, I’m not happy,” Osaka said. “I feel more relief. And then when I lose, I’m very sad. I don’t think that’s normal.”

Osaka, 23, started crying and the Moderator tried to end the media session, but he said he wanted to continue.

“Basically, I feel like I’m like that at this point when I’m trying to figure out what I want to do, and I honestly don’t know when I’ll play my next tennis match,” Osaka said. “I think I’ll like to take a break from playing for a while.”

The press conference then ended abruptly.

US Open defending champion and four-time winner Osaka struggled for much of the match against 18-year-old Fernandez at Arthur Ashe Stadium, and his frustration was visible. He smashed his racket on the field and threw it at some point. He was later warned not to hit the ball in the stands. After losing the second set breaker, he left the court bathroom break with a towel on.

Osaka has played moderately since he withdrew from the French Open before his second-round match in May. Prior to the tournament, Osaka said he would not attend briefings with Roland Garros, citing his mental health, and the decision caused a storm of fire. He was fined when he refused his media obligations after winning the opening round and then withdrew from the event.

He later revealed in a post on social media that he had experienced “long periods of depression” after his breakthrough after winning the US Open in 2018. Osaka then overtook Wimbledon and did not play again before the Japanese Olympics. He played in only one opening event before the US Open and lost in the quarterfinals to Jil Teichmann in the Western & Southern Open.

Despite the lack of matches, Osaka said he was happy with the state of his game to get to the US Open at a pre-tournament press conference, calling it “really nice” to return. Osaka had advanced to the third round on foot when second-round opponent Olga Danilovic withdrew ill. She beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-1 in the first round on Monday.

While the US Open is the final main event of the year, the WTA Finals and the pandemic-delayed BNP Paribas Open, a 1000-level event, are both left, as are the other smaller tournaments.