Naomi Osaka shows off gnarly blisters, says 'I can't bend my fingers,' hints at tennis break

Time of India

6 days ago

Naomi Osaka posts on her Instagram Story, showing off the gnarly blisters on her hand from the French Open/ Image composite: File(AP), Instagram
Naomi Osaka is facing both physical and emotional challenges after her early exit from the 2025 French Open. Following a tough first-round loss to Paula Badosa, the 27-year-old star showed off the severe blisters on her hands, revealing how the friction from clay courts had caused painful vesicles on her knuckles.
Osaka shared that she couldn't fully bend her fingers due to the injury, making it clear how much of an impact this has had on her performance.
In an emotional post-match moment, Osaka admitted that she was "sick of this" and expressed her desire for a break from tennis. Despite the frustrations, she shared on social media that she couldn't stay away from training for long due to her anxiety about not working out. Just a day after the loss, Osaka was back in the gym.
Her first-round exit at Roland Garros marked a tough moment in what has been a challenging return to tennis following the birth of her child with rapper Cordae. Osaka spoke candidly about how she felt like she was disappointing those around her, including Serena Williams' long-time trainer, Patrick Mouratoglou, whom she started working with in 2024. "I think as time goes on, I feel like I should be doing better," she said tearfully in her post-match interview.
She expressed feelings of pressure, especially when comparing her current form to that of her past success. "I hate disappointing people," Osaka added. "Even with Patrick, I was thinking this just now, but like, he goes from working with, like, the greatest player ever to, like, 'what the f*** is this?'"
Osaka's raw emotions were clear when she briefly paused her press conference to gather herself after starting to cry.
Despite the setback, she took comfort in her legacy, joking about how she would always be remembered as a four-time Grand Slam winner, not for her first-round loss at Roland Garros.
In a lighthearted Instagram post following her tough defeat at the
French Open
, Naomi Osaka used humor to cope with the emotions surrounding her early exit. Reflecting on the day, she thanked her supporters for their unwavering encouragement and Nike for allowing her to design a unique, eye-catching outfit for the event.
"I don't know why you guys are always so kind to me," she wrote, expressing genuine gratitude.
Osaka also took a moment to give a shoutout to the team behind her Sailor Moon-inspired look, saying she was "literally turned into Sailor Moon" by stylist Marty Harper, who brought her vision to life. Despite the frustration of her performance, she found comfort in the creative process and the love from her fans, sharing that their support helped lift her spirits during such a challenging moment.
'It's giving mahou shoujo,' she added, referring to the Japanese magical girl genre that inspired her outfit, and underscoring how she's trying to find joy in the small victories, even when the tennis results aren't what she hoped for.
A day later, Osaka shared another post, this time expressing some humor and positivity after her emotional exit. "At least I made my fashion + tennis people proud" she wrote, showing that while the match result was disappointing, her influence in both tennis and fashion still shone through.
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