Naomi Osaka reveals she had a "deep sense of sadness" about her participation at the Tokyo Olympics

Naomi Osaka took to Instagram to post an emotional message reminiscing about her time at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The Japanese revealed that she was not in the right mental space back then to appreciate the enormity of the situation and hoped that this would not be repeated again.

Osaka served as the final torch-bearer in the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first tennis player in history to light the Olympic cauldron. Despite the honor, the event could not have come at a worse time for the former World No. 1.

A few weeks earlier, the World No. 82 had withdrawn from Roland Garros, saying she wanted to prioritize her mental health. She also skipped the following Wimbledon Championships but did not want to miss the Olympic games in her home country.

Unsurprisingly, the Japanese had a forgettable tournament on the tennis court. Seeded second, Osaka suffered a shock defeat against Marketa Vondrousova in the third round.

Recalling all that, Naomi Osaka lamented how she overcame the ordeal with more regret than joy. Although she was delighted with her role as the torch-bearer, she disclosed that she spent a lot of time beating herself up over not making the best of her time at the Games.

"So the other day I was reflecting on the Olympics, I don’t know if it was because the Winter Olympics are going on now but something had me reminiscing about the time I had," Osaka said. "I realized that I had regrets about the whole experience, (not the torch lighting though that was fire literally), there was a deep sense of sadness for not having more fun for the time I was there."

The 4-time Grand Slam champion was embarrassed at the way she conducted herself. Osaka wished she would turn over a new leaf in the days to come, where she would focus more on living in the moment instead of constantly worrying over the missed out experiences.

"[I] can’t believe I was at the Olympics in Tokyo and I failed to consistently find the immense joy in that. I think that’s gonna be really important in my life going forward, just enjoying the experiences and making the most out of the time no matter how short or long it is lol," Osaka said. "Anyways, hope you guys are doing well and staying safe, I’m sure I’ll see you around."

Naomi Osaka has been handed a wildcard into the Indian Wells Open

Naomi Osaka returns to action at the Indian Wells Open

Following a brief hiatus, Naomi Osaka returned to action this year at the 2022 Melbourne Summer Set, where she reached the semifinals. At the subsequent Australian Open, the defending champion progressed only as far as the third round.

The 24-year-old has not played any tennis since the loss against Amanda Anisimova at Melbourne Park and will return to action at the Indian Wells Open, held from Match 9-20.

The former winner has been handed a wildcard into the WTA 1000 event. She will compete alongside the likes of World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, defending champion Paula Badosa and 2-time winner Victoria Azarenka.