Last update on. From the section Tennis
Naomi Osaka is the US Open's two-time champion
US Open 2021 Venue Flushing Meadows New York Date: 30-08-12 September Coverage Radio Commentaries: Daily radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra/BBC Sport website, app. Match reports and selected text commentary on the app and website.
Naomi Osaka has announced that she will be taking another break from tennis following the end of her US Open title defense.
The number three spot in the world lost 5-7 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 to Leylah Fernandez, 18 years old.
Osaka pulled out of this year's French Open after she revealed that she had struggled with her mental well-being since becoming Grand Slam champion in 2018.
She also missed Wimbledon, before returning to the sport at Tokyo Olympics, where the flame was lit at the opening ceremony.
Osaka, who was becoming increasingly emotional after the match's news conference, said that she felt like she's at a point where "I feel like"
"I don't know when my next tennis match will be." I think I will take a break from tennis for a while.
"It's like I feel happy when I win recently. I feel more like a relief. Then, when I lose, it makes me feel very sad. That's not normal.
Osaka was poised for a straight-sets win when Fernandez broke her serve to give Osaka a 6-5 lead in the second set.
However, a series of forehand mistakes cost her her serve. She then lost the tiebreak and she uncharacteristically threw the racquet to the floor.
She said, "I'm really sorry about it," later.
"I don't know why. I enjoy challenges. Recently, I have felt anxious about things not going my way. "I felt like a small child."
Osaka is the first female in the top 20 who has lost a match at the US Open.
Fernandez will be 19 years old on Monday and will face Angelique Kerber, the 2016 champion, for a spot in the quarter-finals.
