EXCLUSIVE: Frosty Naomi Osaka incident can 'play on your mind' as Aussie qualifier eyes monumental upset

Former Aussie tennis star Casey Dellacqua says an incident like the one that rattled Naomi Osaka on Thursday night has the potential to linger on her mind during her third round Australian Open match.

And the wife of 10-time Aussie Open champion Novak Djokovic has taken a swipe at the Japanese superstar over her clash with Sorana Cirstea on Margaret Court Arena.

Cirstea appeared to take exception to Osaka speaking to herself in between her opponent's serves. Fans are not permitted to make noise in between first and second serve.

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When Osaka won and the match was finished, she was met by an icy Cirstea at the net who gave her a spray.

Osaka was bemused and spent her entire on-court interview looking rattled by the incident, before cooling down and apologising in her post-match media conference.

Djokovic's wife Jelena has since taken to social media to post her thoughts, laying the blame at the feet of Osaka.

"Hmm, I'm surprised that this is not being called hindrance," Jelena wrote on Instagram.

"In between two serves, when crowds are applauding or shouting, the chair ump asks not to shout between serves as it is disturbing to the player.

"The point is not finished. Sorana missed her first serve and is focusing on getting in the second, it is a slight pause. And it is disrespectful to applaud at someone's first serve mistake too.

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"I am surprised that the chair / Naomi thought that was fair?! Were there any rule changes that I missed?!

"She as a professional player would know that it is definitely NOT in between first and second serve of your opponent."

Osaka is generally reserved and rarely gets in stoushes with other players on tour, so the incident was a rarity for the Japanese superstar.

Dellacqua says while such incidents have the potential to sit with players, she thinks Osaka can shake it off before meeting Aussie qualifier Maddison Inglis in round four on Saturday night.

"I think she wasn't expecting that to all happen," Dellacqua told Wide World of Sports' The Morning Serve.

"I got the sense that it all happened in the moment for her, and she wasn't really sure how to deal with it.

"Interestingly after that she apologised for some of the comments she made.

"But I think sometimes that stuff can play a little bit on your mind. But I would say with Naomi being as experienced as she is, she will now put that behind her and it won't play too much of a factor in this match."

Inglis will have plenty of crowd support when she steps onto Rod Laver Arena for the late night match at her home slam on Saturday.

She made it through qualifying to earn a spot in the Australian Open main draw, and beat close friend Kim Birrell and then German veteran Laura Siegemund to make it to round three, securing at least $327,750 in prize money.

While Osaka's emotion could be a factor in their match, the emotion of Inglis has been on show all week.

She broke down in tears after beating fellow Aussie Birrell, and dropped to the court in celebration after beating Siegemund in round two.

Dellacqua hosed down the suggestion Inglis may have spent her energy before reaching the Osaka clash.

"I think it's a bit of in the moment reaction," she said.

"If you watch most of her matches she's not a very external, emotional player naturally - like big 'Come on' after every point.

"So I think at the end of those two previous matches, and even in the last round of qualifying, like dropping to the floor is just a release of relief, excitement, coming out all at once.

"She's taking in every moment, she's enjoying it. She's such a sweet, happy, hard-working player so I'm just so happy for her here on the big stage."

Inglis has the added benefit of fiancé Jason Kubler in her box throughout the Australian Open.

Kubler is an accomplished tennis player in his own right, and Dellacqua says his presence can only help Inglis.

"I would think that is such an advantageous spot to be in," she said.

"To have someone that you go back to the hotel room with, they understand the emotion of winning or losing, they understand injuries, tactical, they maybe know when to speak and not to speak.

"I think it was lovely to hear Jason say he's always there for Maddi if she needs a hit, and Maddi does the same for Jason.

"You look at Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter, there are a lot of successful partnerships that are happening off the court.

"Tennis is a brutal sport, so to have that connection with a person that plays the same sport as you, at the same level, I think that's a big win."