Defending US Open Champion Considers Taking Break From Tennis After Defeat

Naomi Osaka, of Japan, reacts during a match against Leylah Fernandez, of Canada, at the third round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, N.Y., on Sept. 3, 2021. John Minchillo/AP Photo

Two-time U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka announced following her defeat at the tennis competition on Friday she plans to take a break from the sport.

“This is very hard to articulate,” she said at a press briefing, resting her left cheek in her hand. “Basically, I feel like I’m kind of at this point where I’m trying to figure out what I want to do, and I honestly don’t know when I’m going to play my next tennis match.”