'I can't let myself be immature': Naomi Osaka reveals how she came back from second-set choke
Newly-crowned Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka has revealed how she was able to re-gain her composure after coughing up three championship points in the second set.
Osaka looked certain to take out the final in straight sets when she was up 40-0 on Petra Kvitova's service game while leading 5-3 in the second set, before a spectacular meltdown from the 21-year-old allowed the Czech to force a deciding third set.
The Japanese star's incredibly humble nature has become a hallmark of her personality and she revealed how she was able to overcome the disappointment after the win.
Osaka looked visibly frustrated at the end of the second set after losing three championship points AAP
"Of course I felt very disappointed and sad when I had those three match points," she told Nine.
"I tried to tell myself there was nothing to do about it, but you always have these doubts.
"So I just told myself that it's a final and I'm playing against Petra, she's a really good champion, so I have to keep fighting and I can't let myself act immature, I should be grateful to be here so that's what I tried to do."
After looking like she had lost her composure, a frustrated Osaka retreated to the locker room prior to the beginning of the third set, before returning looking noticeably calmer.
The 21-year-old was able to re-gain her composure before calmly serving for the championship AAP
Ironically, the fourth seed found herself in an identical situation in the final set, after blowing three break-points on Kvitova's serve when holding a 4-2 lead in the final set.
Osaka explained how she used her disappointment from the second set to steady herself before serving for the championship.
"I just told myself that this happened already before," she said.
"I had three points on her serve and she played really well. I told myself to expect that and to concentrate more on my serves."
