*Naomi Osaka’s comeback to elite tennis at the National Bank Open took an unexpected turn on Thursday, as her minimal post-match comments ignited intense discussion among fans.
Reports indicate that the four-time Grand Slam champion advanced to the final, overcoming strong opponents like Elina Svitolina and Clara Tauson. In the title match, Osaka dominated the first set against 18-year-old Canadian talent Victoria Mboko but lost momentum in the second set, ultimately faltering in the third, resulting in a loss to Mboko in front of her home crowd.
Following the match, Osaka had the customary opportunity to address the audience. Instead of delivering a full speech and congratulating her opponent, she chose brief remarks that omitted any direct acknowledgment of Mboko’s victory. “I don’t really wanna take up too much time. I’ll just say thank you to everyone,” she said. “Thank you to my team, the ball kids, organizers and volunteers. I hope you guys had a good night.”
Osaka’s actions sparked backlash on social media, with many fans voicing frustration over what they saw as unsportsmanlike behavior. Some even called for the tennis star to retire from the sport altogether.
“I have no time for Naomi Osaka acting like this,” one commenter posted on X. “Pull yourself together, congratulate that girl, retire, and spend time with your daughter. Enough.” Another wrote, “Your poor sportsmanship in loss. Your tears. A 4 time major winner who cannot lose with grace. Please retire. Nobody likes you now. Nobody will cheer for you after this.”
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Additional responses echoed the sentiment. “Every time she loses she’s crying & making excuses,” one user claimed, while another added, “Naomi Osaka has the talent, no doubt…but I think her best option is to retire, she had a good run.”
Despite the criticism, Osaka’s on-court performance in Montreal showed she remains a formidable competitor. She is expected to be seeded at the upcoming US Open, where she has twice claimed the title.
