Osaka enjoys his new collaboration with Mouratoglou: "He's a very funny, hilarious person".

After her fine three-set victory over Karolina Muchova, Naomi Osaka has reached the 3rd round of the Australian Open and seems to be establishing herself more and more as an outsider in this Australian Open.

This success is also due to her new association with Patrick Mouratoglou, despite some initial mistrust on the Japanese player's part: "I spoke to quite a few people about it, but I was a little wary, worried, because he's got a big personality.

I didn't know if he'd fit in. It's been said, loud and clear (smile).

But he's very funny, hilarious even. I didn't expect that from him, because I thought he was someone who was very serious all the time."

Osaka also acknowledged that his expertise has helped her get her 2025 year off to a great start:

"After the match, I told Patrick that I was grateful to have gone to Auckland because I'd played some tough matches there.

If I'd come to Melbourne straight away and had to face Garcia and Muchova... It wouldn't have been the same.

The fact that I gained experience with three-set matches in Auckland helped me a lot."