Tennis United: How An Osaka Tweet Inspired Tsitsipas

Have you ever been intrigued by Stefanos Tsitsipas and Naomi Osaka’s interactions on social media? If so, this is the Tennis United episode for you!

Tsitsipas and Osaka joined co-hosts Vasek Pospisil and Bethanie Mattek-Sands on the show’s 11th episode, which will premiere Friday on the ATP Tour’s Facebook page, to chat about the origins of their friendship and how they have developed an understanding of one another.

“I think it was February 2018,” Tsitsipas recalled.

“That’s very precise!” Osaka replied.

I’m done being shy. It’s really a waste of my time. I could’ve shared so many ideas by now, I could’ve had convos with so many different people. All the things I could’ve learned ??‍♀️ but no I’m over here actually putting my own limiter on myself.

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 5, 2020

In May, Osaka tweeted that, “I’m done being shy”, which Tsitsipas retweeted.

“I get it, and I saw a lot of realism and pragmatism to that. I thought to myself, ‘That’s really pure. That’s real,’” Tsitsipas said. “I would like to retweet it for the world to see because coming out of your shell and expressing yourself and just sharing your ideas and whatever you feel in that given moment, I found it quite inspiring, to be honest.”

Tsitsipas and Osaka later answer the big questions, like whether or not pineapple belongs on pizza.

Also in this episode, new fathers Mike Bryan, Jeremy Chardy, Marius Copil and Sam Querrey reflect on becoming a parent ahead of their first Father’s Day. WTA players Greet Minnen and Alison Van Uytvanck discuss their relationship during Pride Month, and Alex de Minaur does a Crossfit workout.