Naomi Osaka‘s second-round match at the Australian Open ended on a surprisingly tense note despite a hard-fought victory.
The two-time champion defeated Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 at Margaret Court Arena, but their post-match handshake sparked a brief confrontation.
At the net, the players barely made contact, with Cirstea glancing at Osaka before turning her head away.
Walking toward the umpire’s chair, Osaka asked, “What was that for?” Cirstea replied directly, signaling frustration over Osaka‘s on-court gestures to energize herself during key moments.
Osaka quickly addressed the situation, apologizing for any perceived disrespect.
“I guess that emotions were very high for her. I also want to apologize,” she said. “I think the first couple things that I said on the court was disrespectful. I don’t like disrespecting people. That’s not what I do.”
Cirstea later downplayed the incident, describing it as minor and overblown. “There was no drama. It was just a five-second exchange between two players that have been on tour for a long time,” she said.
“It stays between us.”
A striking visual presence
Off the court, Osaka continued to make headlines with her fashion choices.
While she skipped the wide-brim hat and veil that drew attention in her first-round walk-on, she still sported a jellyfish-inspired dress with a matching warmup jacket in blue and green aquatic tones, topped with a visor.
“Just something fun I like to do on the court. I like to express myself through clothes,” Osaka explained. She also noted the joy of seeing fans replicate her earlier look, adding, “You guys look really cool by the way.”
The match highlighted Osaka‘s dual focus: fierce competition and bold personal expression.
Despite the handshake tension, she remains determined to let both her performance and personality shine on the Australian Open stage.
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