(Provided by Tennis World USA)
Naomi Osaka shared a viral tennis meme that illustrates why singles players don’t really prefer to play doubles very often. In a meme posted on Instagram, it is indicated that singles players often look clueless when at the net during a doubles match.
Osaka reposted the meme to her Instagram Story with a caption: “This is why I don’t play doubles (dead and laughing emojis).”
Osaka hasn’t played a doubles match since 2017
Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, hasn’t played many doubles matches over the course of her career.
Osaka, 25, hasn’t taken part in a women’s doubles match since 2017 September and her last doubles appearance by any nature came at the 2018 Hopman Cup, when she teamed up with Yuichi Sugita in mixed doubles. In women’s doubles, Osaka owns a 2-14 record.
However, it should be noted that when Osaka last played doubles, she wasn’t a star or a multiple Grand Slam champion like she is today. Meanwhile, Osaka is set to return to tennis at the start of the 2024 season. Earlier this month, Osaka held a gender-reveal party, where she revealed she was expecting a girl.
After giving birth, Osaka will turn her focus on preparing for the 2024 season. “I’m definitely going to perform well and be a better player than I have been last year. For me, my results just made me want to try harder and be the best that I can be.
I’ll be competing in Australia next year,” Osaka recently said. In recent months, some have expressed doubts over whether Osaka can make a successful return after pregnancy. Osaka was seemingly fed up with talks of that nature and responded on Twitter.
“Btw to the people that are suddenly concerned about my career. There are plenty of male athletes with kids that are significantly less accomplished, you might wanna worry about them instead. Thanks for the concern, might wanna redirect it to someone that needs it though. Not trying to make this a male and female thing but let’s be fr,” Osaka tweeted in May.
