ROLAND GARROS, PARIS — Everyone has them, those places that always seem to bring pain.
For Naomi Osaka, it’s Roland Garros, and it goes far beyond the red clay that has always felt unnatural to a self-described “hard-court kid.”
She’s never been past the first week here. In 2020, she skipped the French Open altogether. The next year, she pulled out, following a standoff with tournament organizers over mandatory appearances at post-match news conferences while she managed the impact of anxiety and depression on her tennis and her health.
Monday, she took a one-set lead against Paula Badosa, the No.