Beyond the headlines created by her glimmering outfits, Naomi Osaka has also dazzled with her tennis over the past two rounds at the French Open. She swept aside Laura Siegemund and Donna Vekić without dropping a set, setting up a crucial third-round showdown against the fast-rising Iva Jovic, where another victory carried her into the fourth round. Yet despite the result going her way, the match was far from smooth sailing, as flashes of frustration from four-time Grand Slam winner repeatedly threatened to steal the spotlight.

At a crucial stage of the opening set, during one rally, Osaka unleashed a powerful return after one of Jovic’s shots. However, she put too much force behind the ball and it sailed well beyond the baseline.

The miss immediately showed the frustration. Osaka was seen throwing her racket onto the court as she tried to release some of the tension that had been building throughout the rally.

The difficult conditions were also becoming increasingly visible. Later that incident, Osaka was spotted sitting under her chair with her face covered in ice in an effort to cool herself down.

Despite the physical and emotional challenges, the Japanese managed to stay composed when it mattered most. She eventually edged out the opening set 7-6(5) after a tightly contested battle.

However, the tension did not completely disappear from the match. During a changeover, another situation unfolded involving Jovic and the chair umpire.

“Excuse me, can I change my clothes again?” Iva asked the chair umpire. However, the umpire replied, “Well, you have to be back before her. You are on your own time. If you are back after her, and the court is ready then its back-to-back time violations.”

The exchange quickly became more complicated. Wanting clarification, Jovic asked again, “I am not allowed to change twice?” The umpire responded, “No.”

Even after that answer, the American continued seeking clarification. “So can I go to the Normal, to the Bathroom?” the umpire again added, “It’s the same thing. You have to be back before her.” When Jovic asked what would happen if she did not return within the allotted time, the umpire replied once more, “Time, time, time, you are serving, it’s only time.”

However, after a 2-hour and 58-minute battle, Osaka eventually emerged victorious. The Japanese ace defeated the No. 17 seed 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-4 in a hard-fought contest, with the deciding set finally avoiding a tiebreak.

The win did not come easily. Osaka needed a total of 46 winners, including 12 aces, to secure her place in the R16 at Roland Garros for the first time.

The match also marked Osaka’s longest outing since the 3rd round of the Miami Open last year. On that occasion, she edged Hailey Baptiste in a contest that lasted 2 hours and 59 minutes, just one minute longer than her latest marathon in Paris.

Osaka will now face either the top seed Aryna Sabalenka or Daria Kasatkina as she continues her pursuit of her 6th Grand Slam QF. 

However, while the victory once again highlighted her fighting spirit, her visible frustration and racket-throwing moments during the match also reminded fans that emotional outbursts on court are nothing new for the former top seed.

Naomi Osaka throws racket in frustration during emotional US Open match

Apart from her latest racket-smashing moment today, Naomi Osaka has also been involved in similar emotional outbursts several times throughout her career. 

One of the most memorable examples came at the US Open five years ago on Arthur Ashe Stadium. On that day, throughout the contest against Leylah Fernandez, she frequently looked toward her player box with visible sadness, almost as if she felt helpless despite being in a winning position.

Even though she managed to take the opening set against the Canadian, her emotions continued to build. The tension became increasingly obvious as the match progressed.

While trailing in the second-set tiebreak, she suddenly threw her racket across her side of the court. On the very next point, she slammed it into the ground again in frustration.

There was also another notable incident at the AO back in 2020. During her match against Zheng Saisai, Osaka struggled to contain her frustration after being broken early in the 2nd set.

Following the break of serve, Osaka threw her racket, slammed a ball into the court, and even kicked her racket moments later. However, she later addressed the situation with humor during her press conference. “I mean, my racket just magically flew out of my hand,” Osaka told reporters in her post match press conference. “I couldn’t control it. Sorry, Yonex.”

Now, with another racket-throwing moment making headlines at the Parisian clay, the conversation has resurfaced once again. Despite the visible frustration, Osaka has continued winning and has secured her place in the R16. 

As her Paris campaign moves forward, many will be watching closely to see whether she can channel that emotion in the right way and continue her push toward an even deeper run at the tournament in coming days.