Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka was brought to tears by a heckler Saturday on the way to a 6-0, 6-4 loss to Veronika Kudermetova in the Indian Wells WTA hardcourt tournament.
Japan's Osaka, ranked 78th in the world after her third-round exit at the Australian Open, was rocked early in the first set when someone in the crowd yelled "Naomi, you suck."
She pulled herself together to continue, but while she finally seemed to find her range in the second set she couldn't find a way past Kudermetova.
Speaking on court after the match, Osaka said the comment stuck in her head because it reminded her of Venus and Serena Williams being heckled at the tournament in 2001.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka was brought to tears by a heckler Saturday on the way to a 6-0, 6-4 loss to Veronika Kudermetova in the Indian Wells WTA hardcourt tournament.
Japan's Osaka, ranked 78th in the world after her third-round exit at the Australian Open, was rocked early in the first set when someone in the crowd yelled "Naomi, you suck."
She pulled herself together to continue, but while she finally seemed to find her range in the second set she couldn't find a way past Kudermetova.
Speaking on court after the match, Osaka said the comment stuck in her head because it reminded her of Venus and Serena Williams being heckled at the tournament in 2001.