Naomi Osaka, the former world No. 1 tennis player, has revealed her favorite Pokémon and shared her childhood memories of attending the US Open.
At a recent press conference, Osaka was asked which Pokémon type best represented her. After initially suggesting her fellow Pokémon fan Nick Kyrgios would have a better answer, she pondered the question and named Charizard and Yveltal as her favorites.
Osaka’s connection to the US Open runs deep. She grew up attending the tournament and has vivid memories of watching her idols, including the Williams sisters, Maria Sharapova, and Rafael Nadal.
“Whenever I step foot here, I don’t really think about the two tournaments I won,” Osaka said. “I just think about how I felt when I was a kid.”
Since returning from maternity leave in January, Osaka has been eager to compete in New York. She has been practicing at a high level and is confident in her ability to perform well on hard courts.
“I feel way better now,” Osaka said. “I’m able to practice at a really high level. I hope that I’m able to play matches at a really high level, too.”
Osaka will face No. 10 seed Jelena Ostapenko in the first round of the US Open. If she can channel her inner Sailor Moon vibes, she could make a deep run in the tournament.
