Naomi Osaka fell just short of landing her first title on the main level since the 2021 Australian Open and then made an act that was deemed "not classy" and landed her some major criticism.
Playing in her first WTA 1000 final since 2022, the Japanese made an outstanding start to the Montreal title match and took the opening set versus Canadian wildcard Victoria Mboko with a 6-2 scoreline. But then, the former world No. 1's level dropped and the 18-year-old teenage sensation went on to complete a 2-6 6-4 6-1 win.
Moments after the loss, Osaka looked absolutely devastated and heartbroken. When the time came for traditional on-court speeches, the 27-year-old didn't have much interest in talking. And not only that she issued just a brief statement, but she also didn't congratulate Mboko.
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"Thanks, I guess. I dont really want to take up too much time. Ill just say thank you to everyone. Thank you to my team, the ball kids, organizers, and volunteers. I hope you guys had a good night," the four-time Grand Slam champion said.
Osaka was heavily scrutinized for her speech
It didn't take long before Osaka's short speech went viral and many fans slammed the Japanese for her act, with many arguing that it was especially disrespectful, knowing that Mboko used to idolize her.
Meanwhile, this was the second final that the Japanese lost this year. At the start of the year, the former world No. 1 was up by a set in the Auckland final before being forced to retire due to an abdominal injury. In May, she won the WTA 125 (Challenger) title in Saint-Malo.
