Naomi Osaka’s bid to reclaim a title fell just short.
Osaka had not been able to find her top form for much of the season, and a string of narrow three-set losses had clearly affected her confidence on court.
But she managed to turn things around at the Canadian Open, reaching the final. However, it did not end as she hoped.
Brad Gilbert shares his thoughts on Naomi Osaka’s actions after the Canadian Open
Victoria Mboko was the last obstacle between Naomi Osaka and her first WTA Tour-level title since 2021.
The teenager wasted little time showing fans what she is capable of as she battled through the Canadian Open field to reach the championship match in her debut season.
Osaka got off to a strong start by taking the first set, but Mboko found her rhythm and opened up a 5-2 lead before closing it out 6-4 to force a decider.
The four-time Grand Slam winner then managed just one game in the final set as Mboko surged to victory.
Osaka gave a brief speech during the trophy presentation but did not mention or congratulate Mboko, which drew criticism from some corners.
Coco Gauff’s former coach Brad Gilbert was among those who spoke out. He posted on X:
“After losing 7/6 in 3rd, I know Osaka struggles with social anxiety, but gosh congratulate your opponent.
“Especially one that looked up to you, not to mention you just let the last few games go in a final.”
Naomi Osaka claims she just forgot to congratulate Victoria Mboko for the Canadian Open title
Osaka did not mention Mboko at all in her speech, but later spoke about it when addressing the media.
According to the Montreal Gazette, the Japanese star said she simply forgot to congratulate Mboko during the ceremony.
“This morning, I was very grateful,” she said. “I don’t know why my emotions slipped so quickly, but I’m really happy to have played the final.”
“I think Victoria played really well. I completely forgot to congratulate her on court. Yeah, she did really amazing.”
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