Osaka finally finds her feet on grass after being 'paralyzed by fear'

After years of having a rather strained relationship with Wimbledon, thanks to being "paralyzed by fear" at the thought of playing on tennis' fastest surface, Naomi Osaka feels she has finally found her feet on grass.

The Japanese player, who has won all four of her Grand Slam titles on the hard courts of Melbourne Park and Flushing Meadows, has never found her comfort zone on the green, green grass of Wimbledon, making only four previous appearances during her 10-year professional career.

During those four visits to the All England Club, she won a total of just five matches, with third-round showings in 2017 and 2018 being her standout performances — hardly anything to shout about for a woman who has been ranked world No 1.