Naomi Osaka’s Australian Open run took an unexpected turn Thursday night, after a highly charged argument with her opponent, Sorana Cirstea.
Her second-round win over Romania’s Sorana Cirstea ended with a tense exchange at the net that quickly became one of the tournament’s most talked-about moments. What should have been a routine post-match handshake turned into a pointed confrontation, with Cirstea visibly upset and Osaka left searching for the right words.
“You don’t know what fair play is, my friend,” Cirstea appeared to tell Osaka moments after the match concluded on Margaret Court Arena. The frustration, according to both players, centered on Osaka’s repeated “c’mon” chants to herself during the third set—comments Cirstea felt crossed a line while she was serving.
Cirstea had already raised the issue with the umpire during the match. But it was at the net where her emotions spilled over.
Osaka, known more for her quiet intensity than on-court theatrics, seemed caught off guard. In her post-match interview, she downplayed the situation but didn’t hide her confusion.
“Apparently, a lot of c’mon’s that she was angry about, but whatever,” Osaka said. “I tried to play well. I think I hit a lot of unforced errors, but I tried my best.”
She added that Cirstea is “a great player” and acknowledged that the match may have carried extra weight, as the Romanian veteran has suggested this could be her final Australian Open. “I’m sorry she was mad about it,” Osaka said.
When asked directly if the issue was her vocal encouragement between points, Osaka didn’t dodge it. “I think so, but like, she could’ve asked me,” she said, before adding a candid, almost disarming response: “I’m sorry.”
Cirstea, who has spent two decades on the professional tour, took a firmer stance in her own press conference. She brushed off the moment as brief but hinted that the tension ran deeper than what fans saw on television.
“There was no drama. It was just a five-second exchange between two players that have been on tour for a long time,” Cirstea said. Still, she made it clear she wasn’t interested in unpacking the situation publicly. “I will not talk about that.”
She emphasized the significance of the moment for her personally, noting that after 20 years on tour, this Australian Open carries a sense of finality. “I think it’s a bit more going on than just a five-second discussion,” she said.
Later, Osaka took a step back and reflected more carefully on her own response. She offered a direct apology, acknowledging that her immediate comments after the match may have come off the wrong way.
“I don’t like disrespecting people. That’s not what I do,” she said. “When I’m pumping myself up, in my head, I’m not thinking about distracting the other person. It’s purely for me.” She admitted she wasn’t sure how such exchanges are supposed to end, especially when emotions are raw and stakes are high.
“I’ve never been involved in something like this before,” Naomi Osaka said. “I guess emotions were very high for her.”
