Naomi Osaka to take indefinite break from tennis after US Open loss: "When I win I don't feel happy"

Naomi Osaka says she needs some time away from tennis after a shock third-round defeat in New York to 18-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez.

Osaka claimed the first set but grew more more frustrated as the match continued, eventually losing 5-7, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4.

Later in the post-match press conference the Japanese star opened up saying:

"I feel like I'm kind of at this point where I'm trying to figure out what I want to do."

"I honestly don't know when I'm going to play my next tennis match. I think I'm going to take a break from playing for a while.

The US Open were the first Grand Slam for the 23-year-old since the French Open where she decided to pull out before round two to take a mental health break.

Osaka also missed Wimbledon before having the honour of lighting the Olympic cauldron at the Tokyo 2020 Games in July. She was eliminated from the Olympic tennis competition in the round of 16 by Czech player Marketa Vondrousova.

Osaka has been open about her mental health issues revealing that she has been struggling since she first became a Grand Slam champion in 2018.

"I feel like for me recently, when I win I don't feel happy," she continued in the press room at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, "I feel more like a relief. And then when I lose, I feel very sad. I don't think that's normal."

Osaka tried to analyse what happened on the court.

"I don't think it was her serve because I've been able to return pretty well against people that served better," she said.

"I don't think it's the occasion because I've been in this situation before, so I know that... I guess we're all dealing with some stuff. I know I am."

Osaka told reporters she "didn't really want to cry," then an off-camera voice was heard to say that the press conference was "done".

"Thank you, no – I kind of want to finish," Osaka said. "So basically I feel like... this is very hard to articulate well.

"I feel like I'm kind of at this point where I'm trying to figure out what I want to do."