Osaka shows true colors after Sabalenka called out | Sports News

Naomi Osaka has reacted after Aryna Sabalenka implied she did not make a very “smart decision” relating to her off-court actions. In 2022, Osaka co-founded the management company Evolve together with her longtime agent Stuart Duguid, they usually later signed Aryna Sabalenka.

However, the previous world No. 1 left the company in December and returned to IMG, the place she had been a shopper from 2016 to 2021, with Duguid as her consultant. During their tenure at Evolve, Osaka and Sabalenka competed in a number of exhibition matches.

But that they had their second official tour-level encounter on Tuesday, the place Sabalenka surged to a 6-2, 6-4 victory in Indian Wells. It was their first match since Osaka’s departure from Evolve, and Sabalenka confessed she disagreed together with her competitor’s selection to depart.

When requested if it made a distinction going into their fourth-round showdown within the Desert, the world No. 1 mentioned: “Not at all. I just feel sorry for her that she moved from Evolve back to IMG. I don’t think that’s a smart decision to do.”

Laughing, she added: “I’m happy, I’m super happy that now all time that they were kind of like, how you say, balancing between me and the Naomi, now I got most of the time. I’m happy with that.”

Sabalenka’s remarks had been later shared with Osaka, who confirmed she was glad together with her determination to return to super-agency IMG. The four-time Grand Slam champion took it in stride. “Was she laughing when she said it?” she responded with a smile.

“Look, we’re two different people, like, for sure. I think her experiences aren’t the same as mine, and I wouldn’t have it any other way, you know. For me, I have always loved IMG. I have been treated really well there, and the people there are really kind to me. I would recommend to IMG to people. I guess she wouldn’t. But, yeah, I think we just have two very different experiences at two different places.”

While Osaka disagreed with Sabalenka’s views on Evolve vs. IMG, she concurred that the company state of affairs did not have an effect on her during the match. “I mean, for me, I don’t think so, no,” she mentioned. “I obviously don’t have that experience, but I’m also the player that doesn’t look anywhere, you know, during the match. I don’t notice people, I don’t hear things. I’m kind of just focused on the tennis. I kind of feel like that’s how it should be.”

Osaka had defeated Sabalenka of their initial assembly, means back on the 2018 U.S. Open, once they had been each simply 20 years outdated. The Japanese star went on to secure her first Grand Slam title later that fortnight.

Fast-forward seven-and-a-half years, and they’re each now four-time Major champions who’ve climbed to the highest of the rankings. However, that encounter in Flushing Meadows appeared a distant reminiscence for Osaka, who was considerably shocked by Sabalenka once they lastly squared off again.

“It definitely felt like playing her for the first time. I think, like, obviously I could watch her on TV or whatever, but in reality, it’s very different,” she elaborated.

“I also feel like I was a little, like, flat-footed sometimes, because I expected the ball to be coming harder but then it didn’t. She grunts the same way for every ball. I was, like, ‘Oh my God, she tricked me’. No, it was a cool learning experience. I know we haven’t played for a long time, so I hope that we can play again sometime soon.”