Completely straight water bottles and practise: the rituals behind Osaka’s evolving game

Crediting Osaka’s dazzling streak in Melbourne, which now stands at eight after her run to the title final yr, solely on superstitions appears a stretch. It downplays her good play.

When the 24-year-old raced by the primary 5 video games in simply 16 minutes towards her Colombian rival, a rout appeared within the offing.

Osaka claimed the primary six factors of the match, with the final two of that preliminary streak setting the tone and, maybe, the championship if she will be able to enhance on her type.

She thumped a forehand winner together with her very first return. On the following level, she crunched one other forehand winner halfway by the purpose.

There was proof that Osaka is engaged on areas of her efficiency as she strives to introduce extra selection right into a recreation that’s world-beating on onerous courts.

She sliced her backhand with some regularity, and she or he has beforehand talked about a willpower to grow to be more proficient on the web.

“I’ve all the time practised the backhand slice, however I by no means felt snug sufficient to make use of it in a match,” she stated.

“I feel this low season, after which main into this event, I used to be having extra enjoyable with myself.

“[I was] simply attempting to not actually care if I made a mistake hitting the slice as a result of I do know that regularly it can grow to be a greater shot for me.”

The dip in focus late within the first set, the place she misplaced three video games in succession and nearly a fourth, is one other space her coach Wim Fissette has been working to appropriate.

“We’re truly attempting to make her conscious that issues can flip round shortly [when] you lose a little bit of a focus,” he advised The Age earlier than the event.

“[With] a number of good balls, the opposite one will get assured, after which issues can flip round.”

A part of this is because of ring rust. Osaka gained a grand slam title final yr. However she additionally performed solely 26 matches in 2021, profitable 18 of them, after twice taking sabbaticals from the tour.

“I feel I used to be up 5-0 and had slightly dip, however I used to be lucky sufficient to shut it out,” she advised reporters in Japanese.

“I feel that’s one thing that I hope I’m not in that place in my subsequent match. If I’m, I already did it this time round, so I suppose I’ll study from it.”

Osaka has a status for social justice activism. She was a outstanding voice within the Black Lives Matter protests in the US by the summer time of 2020.

She didn’t need to touch upon the saga that led to Novak Djokovic, the opposite defending champion, being deported from Australia on Sunday evening.

“For me, my aim … even earlier than this complete scenario is to simply deal with myself extra, what I must do to grow to be higher,” she stated.

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However she was hopeful of higher information concerning the opposite political saga to have engulfed tennis since November, particularly the fears the excursions maintain for the welfare of Peng Shuai.

“I haven’t heard any information. I’m unsure if that’s regarding or not,” she stated.

“However I feel the WTA, the entire organisation, they dealt with it very well. I’m actually happy with them.

“I really feel prefer it’s a scenario the place we’d like extra data, which is unquestionably actually onerous. Form of, I feel, everyone seems to be ready.”