Osaka trying not to feel like ‘a failure’

Naomi Osaka during the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open tennis tournament recently. Pic/AFP

Naomi Osaka said she was trying not to feel "like a failure" after her comeback hit another roadblock with a 7-5, 6-0 defeat to former world number seven Danielle Collins in the first round of the Abu Dhabi Open on Tuesday.

"I say some pretty harsh words about myself. I know the word, but if I say it, it sounds really bad. I felt a little like a ‘failure', but I don't want to be too harsh," Osaka told AFP in the UAE capital after her straight sets defeat.

Also Read: Coach Becker splits with Danish teen Holger

The Japanese star returned last month from a 15-month absence from the tour, during which she gave birth to her first child Shai, but has been handed some tricky draws and lost three of her four matches so far this campaign.

The former World No 1 also lost in straight sets in the doubles later on Tuesday but feels that performance helped her shake off her earlier disappointment. "I'm less confident but I'm not too unconfident to think that I can't play really good tennis," four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka said. "I really think I just need to get through a really tough match."

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever