Naomi Osaka Breaks Silence on 5AM Anti-Doping Take a look at Horror at French Open After Sustaining Bruises Final Yr
Naomi Osaka not too long ago highlighted how rigorous anti-doping testing could be in tennis. The Japanese is in Paris for the French Open. Earlier than beginning her marketing campaign, she recounted being subjected to a ‘scary’ early-morning anti-doping take a look at within the earlier version of the match.
Osaka will probably be excessive on spirits at Roland Garros as she arrives contemporary off profitable the WTA 125K Saint-Malo title and reaching the Spherical of 16 on the Italian Open. Furthermore, the Japanese star has gained seven of her final eight matches, giving her a major increase forward of the clay-court Slam.
Naomi Osaka Displays on Early-Morning Blood Take a look at Scare From Final Yr’s French Open
Just a few days in the past, Osaka shared a barely sarcastic publish on Threads, complaining concerning the 5 a.m. anti-doping blood exams forward of a Grand Slam.
“S/o antidoping for persistently coming at 5 am to take my blood the day earlier than a slam ❤️,” she wrote.
The previous World No. 1 reiterated her worry of anti-doping procedures in her pre-tournament press convention. She revealed that the testers who arrived at 5 a.m. struggled to seek out her veins and sometimes wanted a number of makes an attempt to attract blood.
“I don’t have a terrific relationship with them. Simply because they at all times come and take blood and urine, which I don’t know if that disgusts individuals or no matter. And my veins are very notoriously exhausting to seek out. And an individual as soon as informed me it’s like a Japanese factor. I don’t know if that’s correct. So they arrive at 5 a.m after which stick me a number of occasions,” she mentioned.
Osaka’s worry stemmed from her expertise final 12 months. The 27-year-old recalled that her anti-doping blood take a look at left her with bruised arms after a number of failed makes an attempt on the 2024 French Open. This 12 months’s expertise, nevertheless, turned out smoother, as she occurred to wish the toilet after they arrived.
“And in the present day was sort of scary as a result of the final 12 months I used to be right here, in addition they got here at 5 a.m and the girl couldn’t discover my veins in any respect. And I had like big bruises on my arms for some time so fortunately it wasn’t the identical girl, no shade to her. However yeah in the present day was successful as a result of fortunately I had to make use of the toilet after they woke me up,” she added.
Naomi Osaka set to face Paula Badosa within the French Open 1R
Naomi Osaka will begin her French Open marketing campaign in opposition to the previous World No. 2 and tenth seed Paula Badosa on Monday, Could 26. Notably, this marks their first encounter on tour. Badosa’s run within the 2025 season has been disrupted by a persistent again harm, resulting in a number of withdrawals from Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, and Rome.
The Spaniard returned to motion in Strasbourg practically two months after her harm hiatus however confronted a quarterfinal exit after falling to finalist Liudmila Samsonova.
Contemplating their kind within the lead-up clay-court tournaments, Osaka heads as a favourite in opposition to Badosa of their first-round match on the French Open. Whoever wins will face Elena-Gabriela Ruse or McCartney Kessler within the second spherical.
