Tennis Greats Martina Navratilova and Lindsay Davenport on Friday criticised Naomi Osaka for breaching what they described as “basic tennis etiquette” following a flashpoint during her second-round match at the Australian Open. The incident occurred during Osaka’s win over Veteran Romanian Sorana Cirstea and sparked debate about on-court conduct at the season’s first Grand Slam.

The match ended on a tense note after Osaka shouted “come on” between Cirstea’s first and second serves, prompting an irritated reaction from the Romanian and an icy handshake at the net. Cirstea, playing her 18th and final Australian Open before retirement, visibly objected to the timing of the outburst. Osaka later admitted she had been “disrespectful” and issued an apology, though she initially appeared dismissive during her on-court interview.

Speaking on the Tennis Channel, 59-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova said the issue was clear-cut. While acknowledging the heat-of-the-moment nature of post-match reactions, Navratilova stressed that speaking aloud between an opponent’s serves crosses a line. She said players can motivate themselves internally but should not verbalise comments that could distract an opponent preparing to serve.

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Former world number one Lindsay Davenport echoed those views, saying such behaviour is something players learn to avoid early in their careers. The 2000 Australian Open champion noted that Osaka, now 28 and highly experienced on tour, would be well aware of the sport’s unwritten rules. Davenport added she would be surprised if the Japanese star repeated the act in her next match against Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis.

Despite the criticism, both legends were careful to emphasise that they did not believe Osaka acted with malice. Davenport said Osaka is widely regarded as respectful and kind, and that the incident appeared to be a lapse rather than a pattern of behaviour. Navratilova similarly suggested Osaka may not have fully realised the impact of her words in that moment.

Cirstea herself sought to downplay the controversy in her post-match press conference, insisting there was “no drama” and describing the exchange as a brief, five-second interaction between two seasoned professionals. She said the matter would remain between the players, as attention now turns back to the tennis at Melbourne Park.

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