Naomi Osaka at peace with herself ahead of Indian Wells tournament
Naomi Osaka said she had a new perspective on tennis after taking a break from the sport last year to prioritise her mental health and is now focused on "trying hard and having fun" at Indian Wells. Osaka announced the hiatus after she suffered an emotional loss in the third round of the U.S. Open to Leylah Fernandez in September, and it was unclear when she would play again. "I've learned to enjoy my time more," she told reporters on Wednesday on the eve of her first round showdown with Sloane Stephens. "This moment in my life, playing tennis, I've trained my entire life for it. But when I'm 70, it will probably be a small chapter for me. So I have to enjoy it while I still can. "I'm just trying to appreciate every tournament." Osaka fell in the third round of the Australian Open to Amanda Anisimova but said she felt good about her effort and how she coped with the defeat. "I felt the difference in Australia. When I played my last match against Amanda, I left the court thinking I did my best, and I had match points."
