Naomi Osaka issues a belated apology to Victoria Mboko after award ceremony misstep

Two days after Naomi Osaka was defeated in the final of the National Bank Open against Canadian teen sensation Victoria Mboko, the American tennis star issued a belated apology for the 18-year-old, as she forgot to congratulate her opponent and hurried her way out of the post-match interview.

In a highly emotional final, Mboko made a stunning comeback against Osaka, winning 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to claim her first WTA 1000 title at home. After the match, Osaka seemed to be in a hurry as she failed to congratulate her opponent.

“I don’t want to say much. Thank you to everyone: my team, the fans, the ball boys, the organizers, and the volunteers. I hope the night goes well,” Osaka said.

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This sparked a backlash among fans as they took shots at Osaka for being a bad sport. Later, on Threads, Osaka came clean on what really happened, which also included an apology to Mboko, who idealized the American star growing up.

"Thanks, Montreal, it’s been a really great run. I also want to say sorry and congratulations to Victoria. You played a great match and have an amazing career ahead! I realize I didn’t congratulate you on the court.

"Honestly, I was in a daze and I was so focused on not having the same speech as IW 2018 finals or the Jenny/Jennifer situation that I tried to make my speech as short as possible. Thanks everyone for the week, see you in NY."

In her Threads post, Naomi Osaka referenced past moments like her speech at Indian Wells 2018 ("IW 2018") and the 2021 Australian Open with Jennifer Brady ("Jenny/Jennifer situation") to explain what happened on Thursday.

Victoria Mboko shares a graceful response after the final against Naomi Osaka

Despite being just 18, Victoria Mboko had no issues with Naomi Osaka, who did not congratulate her for the victory. Mboko said she had idolized the four-time Grand Slam champion growing up.

“I want to thank Naomi Osaka for this great match; I’ve admired her since I was little. It’s always a great pleasure to compete with a player like you,” Mboko said.

"I think she's an incredible player, and that fact (her not appearing before the media) doesn't change my perception of her. I think she's still a good player, and I'll continue to keep an eye on her . Facing Naomi was something very special for me," Mboko said later in her media availability.

Both players have withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open. They will now directly be seen in action at the US Open, which starts later this month.

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Krutik Jain

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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