How 'teddy Bear' Coach Is Helping Osaka Find Mojo

Naomi Osaka had small to talk arsenic she faced nan media astatine Wimbledon. Anger had fixed measurement to apathy.

The four-time awesome champion felt she had "nothing affirmative to say" aft a discouraging third-round exit.

Now, little than 2 months later, nan grin has returned to Osaka's face.

The 27-year-old erstwhile world number 1 seems to person rediscovered her mojo arsenic she prepares to look Czech 11th seed Karolina Muchova successful nan US Open quarter-finals connected Wednesday.

"Some of her tennis has been reminiscent of erstwhile she won her 2 titles here," said erstwhile British number 1 Annabel Croft, who analysed Osaka's awesome fourth-round triumph complete 3rd seed Coco Gauff for BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Her crippled is each astir amazingly cleanable ball-striking, taking power of nan baseline, opening up nan court, building up nan constituent and hitting a winner.

"When she is confident, she is personification who makes nan crippled look truthful easy and effortless."

Japan's Osaka did not play for 14 months astir nan commencement of girl Shai successful July 2023 and her roadworthy backmost to nan apical of nan crippled she erstwhile dominated has been gradual.

After lacking positivity astatine Wimbledon and questioning her direction, she is preparing for her first Grand Slam quarter-final since nan 2021 Australian Open.

So what's changed complete nan past mates of months?

Deciding to move her coach has been nan astir notable factor.

Shortly aft Wimbledon she parted ways pinch Patrick Mouratoglou, nan Frenchman who worked pinch 23-time awesome champion Serena Williams, and hired Polish coach Tomasz Wiktorowski.

Wiktorowski is champion known for guiding compatriot Iga Swiatek to 4 Grand Slam titles successful a three-year stint, which ended successful October.

On Wiktorowski's approach, Osaka said: "He seemed for illustration specified a reliable feline to maine but actually, erstwhile he smiles, he really is for illustration a teddy bear.

"When we talk aft matches, he's not harsh astatine all. He's for illustration ever very proud and encouraging.

"I consciousness for illustration it benignant of creates a safe abstraction for maine to beryllium capable to definitive myself and my tennis."

The effect was instant.

Looking much astatine ease, Osaka's renowned ball-striking returned, and rediscovering her assurance led to nan Montreal last successful her first tourney pinch Wiktorowski.

Beating a drawstring of top-25 opponents bolstered her belief, peculiarly a lionhearted triumph complete Russia's Liudmila Samsonova and commanding triumph complete Ukraine's Elina Svitolina.

"Against Samsonova, I didn't springiness up until nan very past point. I deliberation from that infinitesimal connected I conscionable tried to beryllium nan biggest combatant that I tin be," Osaka said.

"I felt really bully erstwhile I played Svitolina. I deliberation nan lucifer made things clear that I tin rally a batch pinch everybody."

While Osaka mislaid to Canadian teen Victoria Mboko successful nan final, past drew disapproval for seemingly being ungracious successful defeat, she has carried nan momentum into nan US Open.

"What I want to return distant from this tourney is conscionable smiling and having fun," said Osaka.

"I cognize successful my first information I was excessively tense to grin and successful my second-round lucifer I was conscionable really not smiley astatine all.

"Going into nan [Gauff] match, I conscionable wanted to beryllium grateful. I person nan astir nosy erstwhile I play against nan champion players."

Osaka has benefitted from a mostly much restrained approach, wisely picking her moments to usage her baseline powerfulness effectively, while trying to tie mistakes from her opponents.

The statistic show really her all-round crippled - claiming 79% of her work games, 56% of return games and 19% of her shots resulting successful winners - is among nan tourney leaders.

"Osaka is simply a very rhythmical subordinate - not overmuch creativity, but beautiful timing and effortless power," said Croft.

"She has a large service which opens up nan tribunal arsenic well. So acold she has looked vulnerable for anyone to return on."