Evert shares her take on Osaka’s US Open chances.

Chris Evert isn’t so high on Naomi Osaka’s US Open chances as the American tennis legend thinks the Japanese may be “too happy,” which can lead to relaxation and losing the required intensity and fierceness.

The 2024 season has been one of the most specific seasons of Osaka’s career since this is her first year of playing as a mother but also the year in which she is battling to rediscover her old game. But while Osaka has looked happy throughout the year, she is just 18-15 this year and hasn’t yet come anywhere near the results she would prefer to have – she hasn’t yet made it past the quarterfinal stage since launching her post-pregnancy comeback.

And failing to make a really great result may have impacted Osaka lately as she is just 3-5 in the last two months and she even lost to Ashlyn Krueger in the Cincinnati qualifying final round in her last match played.

At the US Open, Osaka is a two-time champion and that’s where she became a Grand Slam champion in 2018. But she is not in good form at the moment and drawing fellow Slam champ and world No. 10 Jelena Ostapenko in the US Open first round didn’t help either.

“She’s going through some doubtful times. We’ll see if she can get that magic, because it is the US Open. She has won this title, so let’s see if she can get that magic going. I think her story, her journey, remains to be seen,” Evert told The Los Angeles Times.Naomi Osaka© YouTube screenshot

Evert on Osaka: Being too happy can’t always be good

Shortly after winning her fourth Grand Slam title at the 2021 Australian Open, it looked like something started changing with Osaka. And after ditching press conferences at the 2021 French Open before abruptly withdrawing from the tournament, the former world No. 1 revealed she was battling depression and anxiety.

After the revelation, Osaka was out of action for two months to address her mental health. After returning, the Japanese appeared in just three tournaments before shutting down her season after the US Open that year.

Since then, a lot has changed for the better as Osaka has often credited becoming a mother for her changed perspective. But while Osaka now seems much happier in her life and is not thinking about retiring anymore, titles aren’t coming yet.

“I know she has the game, but it takes more than the game. It takes a lot of confidence and a lot of focus. We’ll see. She’s in a different part of her life right now where it seems she’s so calm and she’s so relaxed and happy and peaceful. The mental problems haven’t really affected her. She has a child, which she is madly in love with. Sometimes when you are too happy, that can’t always be good either, I don’t know, for us to be intense and fierce,” Evert said.Naomi Osaka© YouTube screenshot

Osaka was negatively impacted by the Cincinnati qualifying loss

After Krueger beat Osaka 6-3 2-6 6-3 in what was the Japanese’s first qualifying appearance since 2018, the four-time Grand Slam champion said she “don’t feel like I’m in body” and suggested that she was struggling with her feel and touch on the court.

“I’ve been trying to figure out how I feel for the past several hours. In a weird way I’ve come to appreciate losses, you don’t play tennis for 20+ years without your fair share of them. You learn from a loss and then eagerly await your next opportunity to put what you learned to test,” Osaka wrote in a message posted on her Instagram.

“My biggest issue currently isn’t losses though, my biggest issue is that I don’t feel like I’m in my body. It’s a strange feeling, missing balls I shouldn’t miss, hitting balls softer than I remember I used to. I try and tell myself ‘it’s fine you’re doing great, just get through this one and keep pushing’, mentally it’s really draining though.Internally I hear myself screaming ‘what the hell is happening?!?!’

“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve played a handful of matches this year that I felt like I was myself and I know this moment is probably just a small phase from all the new transitions (clay, grass, clay, hard etc), however the only feeling I could liken how I feel right now to is being postpartum.

“That scares because I’ve been playing tennis since I was 3, the tennis racquet should feel like an extension of my hand. I don’t understand why everything has to feel almost brand new again. This should be as simple as breathing to me but it’s not and I genuinely did not give myself grace for that fact until just now.”

If Osaka can start her US Open campaign by beating Ostapenko, it could potentially set her up for a really positive run.