Eliminated by Zheng, Osaka is still not satisfied with her level of play: "It's difficult to be in this process"

After an absence of over a year, Naomi Osaka made her return to competition this year. Having become a mother in July 2023, the former world number 1 continues her rise to prominence. After three fine wins, Osaka finally stalled against Qinwen Zheng (6-4, 6-4).

Asked about her fine Italian week, the four-time Grand Slam winner, who is not very comfortable on clay, tried to put a positive spin on things: "It's been a good week, but it's difficult to be in this process. I can't wait to get back to my best, but I have to understand that my daughter isn't a year old yet and that it can take time. I'll learn a lot from this match against a top-10 player like Qinwen."

Next stop for Osaka: Roland-Garros.