Naomi Osaka Kicks Off Wimbledon With Win—And a Kyrgios Cameo
London, England — Naomi Osaka began her 2025 Wimbledon campaign with a hard-fought straight-sets victory over Australia’s Talia Gibson (6-4, 7-6(4)) on Monday, but it was an unexpected courtside appearance that stole the spotlight—controversial Aussie star Nick Kyrgios sitting in her player’s box.
A Surprise Spectator
While Osaka’s crisp white Wimbledon attire kept her under the radar fashion-wise—unlike her bold French Open and Australian Open kits—Kyrgios’ presence sparked intrigue. The polarizing former Wimbledon finalist, who has skipped the entire grass-court season due to injury, was spotted just feet from Osaka’s coach, Patrick Mouratoglou.
Post-match, Osaka played coy when asked about the surprise guest. “Oh, he was there? I didn’t hear nothing. Okay,” she joked during her press conference, drawing laughter. She later admitted she’d “zoned out” during the match and hadn’t noticed.
Pressed for details, Osaka revealed she’d “jokingly” invited Kyrgios, never expecting him to show. “I know we’re two completely different players,” she said, referencing Kyrgios’ fiery on-court persona versus her own focused demeanor. “He probably would’ve noticed if I was in his box—I’d be the one silently freaking out.”
Despite the awkwardness, Osaka welcomed the support: “I hope in some way maybe he felt… I wouldn’t say ‘inspired,’ but could relate a little.”
Toxic Radar or Just Tennis Friends?
The cameo raised eyebrows, particularly after The Tennis Podcast host Catherine Whitaker recently expressed concern about Osaka’s “radar for toxic men,” name-checking both Kyrgios and Mouratoglou—the latter previously coached Simona Halep during her doping scandal.
Osaka and Kyrgios, however, share a friendly rapport. They’ve teamed up in mixed doubles before and are scheduled to compete together at the 2025 US Open. Kyrgios, sidelined since January, told Sports Illustrated earlier this month he’s targeting a late-season comeback.
On-Court Grit
Beyond the Kyrgios buzz, Osaka showcased resilience in her opener. After breezing through the first set, she survived a tense second-set tiebreak, saving multiple break points. Tennis Channel praised her “gritty” performance as she improved to 19-9 this season.
Next up? A likely showdown with fifth-seeded Qinwen Zheng on Wednesday—a rematch of their dramatic 2024 Australian Open clash.
Wimbledon’s Quiet Storm
While Osaka’s game spoke volumes Monday, Kyrgios’ impromptu appearance ensured the headlines wrote themselves. Whether a harmless gesture or a strategic mind-game (Kyrgios is notorious for them), one thing’s clear: Osaka’s Wimbledon journey just got a lot more interesting.
