Naomi Osaka reclaims her aggressive edge for Melbourne Park

The air in Melbourne Park usually carries the scent of fresh cut grass and eucalyptus, but for Naomi Osaka, it smells like unfinished business.

As the 28-year-old former World No. 1 stepped into the main interview room ahead of the 2026 Australian Open, there was a noticeable shift in her aura. This wasn’t just a champion returning to her favorite hunting ground; this was a student of the game coming back with a corrected manuscript.

Despite a resurgent 2025 that saw her reach the Canadian Open final and a thrilling US Open semifinal, Osaka isn’t resting on her laurels. She’s ruminating on the margins.

“I just want to be a better player,” Osaka told a packed room of reporters, her voice steady and reflective. “There are some things that or some points that I regretted in US Open so I just hope to like be able to look back on this tournament however it ends and not have any regrets.”

That word — regret — is a heavy one for a four-time Grand Slam champion. In Flushing Meadows last September, Osaka looked like the world-beater of old, dismantling top-ten opponents with the clinical precision that defined her peak.

But a narrow semifinal exit left a lingering sting. For Osaka, the disappointment wasn’t found in the scoreline, but in the tactical hesitation that crept in during the high-pressure moments.

“I just wish I could have been more aggressive or done something different um, with my serve or it was things like that,” she explained, dissecting her New York campaign. “But never like overall the US Open experience for me is always very fun.”

The quest to eliminate those tactical “what-ifs” has been the central theme of her off-season. Working closely with her coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski—the man who guided Iga Swiatek to world domination—Osaka has been fine-tuning her “decision-making” and “awareness.”

The goal is simple but demanding. Rediscover the “assertive” tennis that makes her the most dangerous hard-court player on the planet.

“Honestly, I just wanted to be more aggressive and kind of more assertive with my game,” Osaka said, reflecting on her early-season matches at the United Cup in Perth. “I feel like I think my defense is good now so I can almost kind of get away with it but um, yeah I just I want to play more aggressively, that’s what I took away.”

It is a fascinating admission from a player whose career was built on the foundation of raw power. In the first chapter of her career, Osaka’s aggression was instinctual. In this second chapter, as a mother and a veteran, it is becoming a conscious choice.

She acknowledged that while her improved defensive skills provide a safety net, they can also become a trap and a reason to stay back when she should be stepping up.

The transition back to her “strike first” mentality hasn’t been without its hurdles. Her preparation in Perth was hampered by a lingering illness that left her struggling for air on court.

“When I reflect on that match [against Maria Sakkari], I just think about how I couldn’t breathe because I was like coughing so much,” she recalled.

However, as she settles into the familiar rhythm of Melbourne, the “regret” of the past is being replaced by a focused intent for the future. She spoke of her morning bike rides by the water and her “gatekept” restaurant spots with a smile, but when the conversation returned to the court, the intensity returned.

“I just hope to be able to look back on this tournament however it ends and not have any regrets,” she repeated. In a sport where matches are won and lost in the blink of an eye, Naomi Osaka is making sure that when the next big moment arrives, she’ll be the one swinging first.