Naomi Osaka made a tearful second-round exit from Indian Wells after she was heckled by a spectator during her match against Veronika Kudermetova.
Osaka, who has struggled with anxiety and depression since winning the first of her four grand slam titles at the US Open in 2018, was targeted by a female spectator after being broken in the opening game of the match.
“Naomi, you suck!” the woman cried out as Kudermetova, who went on to win 6-0, 6-4, prepared to serve. Osaka, who twice took periods away from the sport last year to focus on her mental health, approached chair umpire Paula Vieira Souza to request the barracker’s removal.
When Vieira Souza explained that she was unable to identify the offender, Osaka resumed play despite her obvious distress. At the next change of ends, the former world No 1 approached the chair again to ask if she could use the Brazilian official’s microphone to address the crowd. “I’m not going to curse, I don’t curse,” said Osaka. “It’s just weighing on my heart.”
That led in short space to the arrival of Claire Wood, the WTA supervisor, who gently informed the 24-year-old that there was no precedent for such a move, while assuring her the agitator would be removed if it happened again.
Osaka did, however, address the crowd after the match, describing how the incident had put her in mind of the infamous scenes that marred the 2001 tournament, when Serena Williams and her family were subjected to booing and racial abuse.
“I just wanted to say thank you, I feel like I’ve cried enough on camera,” said Osaka, visibly battling to maintain her composure.
“To be honest, I’ve gotten heckled before, it didn’t really bother me. But being heckled here? Like, I watched a video of Venus and Serena getting heckled here – if you’ve never watched it, you should watch it – and I don’t know why, but it went into my head and it got replayed a lot. I’m trying not to cry.”
The episode in question occurred after Venus Williams withdrew from her 2001 semi-final against Serena minutes before she was due to go on court. Elena Dementieva, the Russian beaten by Venus in the previous round, had publicly suggested that the outcome of matches between the two sisters was determined by their father, Richard, and the insinuation seemed to take root among locals. Serena was jeered throughout her final victory over Kim Clijsters, while Venus and Richard were the target of alleged racial slurs in the stands. Serena boycotted the event for the next 14 years, while Venus did not return until 2016.
Osaka, who came through in three sets against Sloane Stephens in the previous round, was playing only her third event since last September’s US Open. Currently ranked 78th, she was granted a wildcard to compete at Indian Wells, where she won the title four years ago.
Osaka remained quietly determined throughout, urging herself on with understated fist pumps as she fought in vain to repel a ferocious onslaught from Kudermetova, the 21st seed. But while the former champion improved markedly after a one-sided opening set in which she won just 30% of her service points, the big-hitting Russian ran out a worthy winner.
“I didn’t hear what the lady said, because I was really so focused on my game, on my service game,” said Kudermetova, who will play Marie Bouzkova in round three after the Czech qualifier beat Jessica Pegula, the 14th seed, 5-7, 6-2, 6-0. “I didn’t understand what she said. But after that moment, I saw that Naomi, she started to cry. I didn’t understand what was happening.”
Osaka did not address the press afterwards.
The controversy overshadowed the earlier defeat of Aryna Sabalenka, the tournament’s highest seed following the withdrawal of world No 2 Barbora Krejcikova. Sabalenka, the world No 3, was beaten 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 by Jasmine Paolini of Italy.
“I’m really happy,” said the 46th-ranked Paolini following the first top-10 win of her career. “I played an amazing match. I tried to be there, to be focused, [on] every point. I’m so happy I beat Sabalenka, she’s a great player.”
Leylah Fernandez saved four match points against Amanda Anisimova to set up a third-round meeting with Shelby Rogers. The US Open finalist, who won in Monterrey last week, recovered from 5-3 down in the second set to level the contest at 2-6, 7-6 (7-0) before Anisimova retired with illness.