This year, Osaka reached the final of the ASB Classic, in Auckland, New Zealand, retiring while leading by a set to love against Denmark’s Clara Tauson.

Heading to the Australian Open, a tournament she had won twice before, Osaka looked for her best Major performance since returning from maternity leave last year.

Osaka beat Caroline Garcia in the first round, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, as she advanced to the second round with a win over the former world number four.

Facing a tough test against former Grand Slam finalist Karolina Muchova, Osaka prevailed in a shock win, 1-6, 6-1, 6-3, again battling through in three sets.

Having achieved her best Major performance in three years, Osaka retired against Belinda Bencic, trailing 6-7.

She’ll now switch her attention to the French Open in May, as she may reflect upon her first Major victory for inspiration.

Naomi Osaka apologized after beating Serena Williams to win the 2018 US Open

A 20-year-old Osaka enjoyed an impressive run to the US Open final seven years ago, dropping just one set on her way to the showpiece match.

There she faced off against the legendary Serena Williams, who was searching for a record-extending 24th Major title.

The match was a highly entertaining one, as the pair battled back and forth before things turned sour as Williams argued with the umpire.

Umpire Carlos Ramos judged Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou to have coached her, as she was given a code violation.

Things quickly unraveled as Williams demanded an apology from Ramos, calling him a ‘thief’, a comment that saw her receive a game penalty.

Osaka eventually won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, as boos rained down on Arthur Ashe Stadium, following the Japanese stars’ maiden Grand Slam win.

As the New York crowd continued to boo during the trophy ceremony, Osaka apologized to the fans at Flushing Meadows.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“I know that everyone was cheering for her [Serena Williams] and I’m sorry it had to end like this.”

The new Grand Slam champion was then asked why she felt the need to apologize, having accomplished a life-long dream, during her post-match press conference shortly after.

“Your question is making me emotional,” she said.

“Okay, because I know that, like, she really wanted to have the 24th Grand Slam, right? Everyone knows this, it’s on the commercials, it’s everywhere.”

Osaka then explained how she felt when Williams embraced her at the net.

“But then when I hugged her at the net,” she said.

“Anyway, when I hugged her at the net, I felt like a little kid again.”

Williams defended Osaka during the presentation and in her post-match press conference, as she spoke fondly of the Japanese star.

“I felt at one point bad because I’m crying and she’s crying, you know, she just won,” she said.

“I felt like, Wow, this isn’t how I felt when I won my first Grand Slam, I was like, Wow, I definitely don’t want her to feel like that.

“She played an amazing match, she deserved credit, she deserved to win.

“At the end of the day, that’s what it was.”

Did Naomi Osaka return to win a second US Open title?

Osaka failed to defend her title in 2019, losing in the fourth round to Bencic, but looked in good form to clinch her second US Open in 2020.

The fourth seed didn’t have things all her own way, battling through a deciding set on four occasions, as she won in New York for a second time.

Having dropped the first set 1-6 to Victoria Azarenka in the final, Osaka bravely fought back, this time lifting the trophy with a smile on her face.

Osaka hasn’t returned to the fourth round at Flushing Meadows since, most recently falling to defeat in round two in 2024.

She’ll be hoping to fare better later this year when the US Open begins on Sunday, August 24.