Osaka apologises for ‘disrespecting’ Cirstea

Naomi Osaka has apologised for “disrespecting” Sorana Cirstea in her post-match on-court interview after she received a frosty handshake and a telling-off from the Romanian. After wrapping up a 6-3 4-6 6-2 win against Cirstea in the Australian Open second round, a smiling Osaka made her way to the net to carry out the post-match […]

Naomi Osaka has apologised for “disrespecting” Sorana Cirstea in her post-match on-court interview after she received a frosty handshake and a telling-off from the Romanian.

After wrapping up a 6-3 4-6 6-2 win against Cirstea in the Australian Open second round, a smiling Osaka made her way to the net to carry out the post-match formalities.

But Cirstea gave a brief handshake before exchanging some words with the Japanese 16th seed by the umpire’s chair.

In a later news conference, Osaka apologised for some of her post-match comments towards Cirstea, who is retiring from tennis at the end of the 2026 season after 20 years on the WTA Tour.