"I am proud of you": Coach Patrick Mouratoglou praise Naomi Osaka after impressive outing in Auckland

Japan’s tennis star Naomi Osaka’s coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, has praised the former world number one for her performances in the recently concluded ASB Classic. The 27-year-old had an impressive beginning to her new season, where she finished as the runner-up in the recently concluded competition.

The ending was a rather sad one for the former world number one, who was forced to retire during the final despite starting it on a great footing, winning the first set comfortably with a score of 6-4. Osaka sat on the chair in disbelief after retiring from the contest because of a fitness concern. The development also raised concerns about the two-time Australian Open champion’s participation in the first Grand Slam of 2025.

The outcome was an even more disappointing one, considering that it was the first time the four-time Grand Slam winner played in the final of an event ever since returning to the court after spending more than 12 months on the sidelines because of pregnancy. After the result, Osaka, in a post on her official account on the social media platform Instagram, posted a detailed message in the story where she expressed optimism about carrying the momentum forward after starting impressively in Auckland.

"I've come to the conclusion that what's meant for me is meant for me and maybe certain situations occur to train my mind for what's to come,” she wrote. “Maybe there's bigger and better things on my path and I just have to continue the journey to encounter the. That being said this is about to be a great year.”

Osaka’s new coach Mouratoglou, who has recently joined the former world number one in September last year, responded to that message and heaped praise on the 27-year-old and stated that he was ‘proud of her performances. The 54-year-old also expressed optimism that things are only going to get better from here on for the Osaka-born star. "You did incredibly well,” he wrote. “I am proud of you and it is just the beginning.”