Serena Williams’ ex-coach rallies behind Naomi Osaka after hate brigade over post-match speech at Canadian Open

Controversy erupted after Naomi Osaka didn’t congratulate 18-year-old Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko for winning the final of the National Bank Open against the four-time Grand Slam champion. Osaka was disappointed after losing the final 6-2, 4-6, 1-6.

In her post-match comments, Osaka seemed to be in a rush as she only congratulated her team, the fans, the ball boys, the organizers, and the volunteers. She received heavy backlash from the tennis world for failing to recognize Mboko, who said she idolized watching Osaka growing up.

Amid the growing backlash, Serena Williams’ former tennis coach Rick Macci has come to Naomi Osaka’s support while taking a swipe at her detractors for saying the four-time Grand Slam champion was a spoilsport and couldn’t take her defeat to an 18-year-old in stride. Macci compared the situation to that in the NBA or NFL, where the reaction is much worse after losing.

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"Everybody has to pump the brakes on Osaka a female athlete and her speech," Mcci wrote on X. "Has anybody seen an NBA or NFL game after a heated combat? Some athletes give the broiler plate response and say all the right things. Some say whatever because the thoughts and dots are not connected yet as defeat is still fresh out of the oven. @naomiosaka."

Rick Macci

@RickMacci

Everybody has to pump the brakes on Osaka a female athlete and her speech. Has anybody seen an NBA or NFL game after a heated combat? Some athletes give the broiler plate response and say all the right things. Some say whatever because the thoughts and dots are not connected

Rick Macci is a renowned American tennis coach. He has worked with several notable tennis figures, including Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova and Jennifer Capriati, all of whom ascended to world No. 1 status during or following his coaching.

Naomi Osaka finally apologizes for failing to congratulate Victoria Mboko

On Friday, Naomi Osaka took to Threads and issued an apology to Victoria Mboko two days after losing the final at the Canadian Open. Osaka also explained her situation on what happened during the post-match speech, as she didn't want to repeat similar things she had said in the past, referencing a past tournament as well. She wrote:

"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."

The four-time Grand Slam champion has also withdrawn from her participation in the Cincinnati Open as she now looks forward to the upcoming US Open 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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