Tennis

Naomi Osaka, the former world No. 1 tennis player, has revealed her favorite Pokémon and shared her childhood memories of attending the US Open.At a recent press conference, Osaka was asked which Pokémon type best represented her. After initially suggesting her fellow Pokémon fan Nick Kyrgios would have a better answer, she pondered the question and named Charizard and Yveltal as her favorites.Osaka's connection to the US Open runs deep. She grew up attending the tournament and has vivid memories of watching her idols, including the Williams sisters, Maria Sharapova, and Rafael Nadal."Whenever I step foot here, I don't really think about the two tournaments I won," Osaka said. "I just think about how I felt when I was a kid."Since returning from maternity leave in January, Osaka has been eager to compete in New York. She has been practicing at a high level and is confident in her ability to perform well on hard courts."I feel way better now," Osaka said. "I'm able to practice at a really high level. I hope that I'm able to play matches at a really high level, too."Osaka will face No. 10 seed Jelena Ostapenko in the first round of the US Open. If she can channel her inner Sailor Moon vibes, she could make a deep run in the tournament.

Daria Kasatkina and her doubles partner Natalia Zabiiako have shared their experiences at the Roland Garros Grand Slam in their latest "What the Vlog" episode. Kasatkina, a self-proclaimed Pokémon enthusiast, received a special birthday surprise from her compatriot Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.Pavlyuchenkova had spotted a limited-edition necklace from the Tiffany & Arsham Studio & Pokémon collaboration and alerted Kasatkina, who was thrilled to receive the pendant featuring the character Cubone. The necklace was flown in from Denmark, as the collection had only been released in New York and Tokyo at the time.In a playful gesture, Pavlyuchenkova presented the necklace to Kasatkina on one knee, complete with the iconic Tiffany blue case. Kasatkina was joined by Mirra Andreeva in the episode, and the trio engaged in friendly games of Uno and Rock, Paper, Scissors.Andreeva's attempt to start the game with scissors was quickly countered by Zabiiako's rock, forcing Andreeva to shuffle the deck. The episode offers a glimpse into Kasatkina's perspective on the Roland Garros tournament, showcasing her love for Pokémon and her playful interactions with her fellow players.