Osaka to focus on form after tearful end to WTA

SINGAPORE: Naomi Osaka has set her sights on becoming better on different surfaces, as the US Open champion’s season ended in tears at the WTA Finals on Friday.

A left hamstring injury forced the 21-year-old to retire against Kiki Bertens after the Dutchwoman claimed the first set 6-3 in 47 minutes.

It was a bitterly disappointing end for Osaka, who came into the season-finale as the form player but lost three-set matches to Sloane Stephens and Angelique Kerber.

Osaka has had a whirlwind time since her stunning win over Serena Williams in a controversial US Open final.

The triumph cemented her standing on hard court but Osaka has had limited success on clay and grass, where she is yet to make it past the third round at Wimbledon and the French Open.

She struggled on the Singapore Indoor Stadium’s hard court, which played slower than expected.

“For me, I shouldn’t just be doing well on hard courts. I think I should be doing well on all surfaces,” she told reporters. “I think I’m capable of doing that. So definitely I want to try to focus on that next year.”

Osaka said she initially injured her hamstring against Stephens in the tournament’s opening match.

“There is this level of pain that I can play with, so I definitely was going to play,” she said.

“I thought I could finish the match. It just got worse and worse and worse, and then I just couldn’t move.” - AFP