Naomi Osaka, Sorana Cirstea Share Icy Handshake After Australian Open Match

Osaka then apologized for what she said about the brief handshake in a post-match interview while speaking to reporters.

Cirstea (left) and Osaka (right) exchanged words at the net after a tightly contested match. | Phil Walter/Getty Images

A heat wave has taken over the Australian Open, with temperatures in the high 80s and low 90s scorching the courts in Melbourne.

But the temperature dropped at night—and promptly plummeted thanks to an icy handshake between Naomi Osaka and Sorana Cirstea following Osaka’s win in three sets in the second round of the Australian Open Thursday.

After Osaka triumphed 6–3, 4–6, 6–2, the two women approached the net for the customary post-match handshake, which in this case lasted for what seemed like a nanosecond, as Cirstea briefly clasped hands with Osaka as she walked past the two-time Australian Open champion.

Naomi Osaka and Sorana Cirstea had some words at the net after their match at the Australian Open.

👀👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/pB1qyNoUAR

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 22, 2026

Broadcast cameras picked up Osaka then asking Cirstea, “What was that for?”

It’s unclear what Cirstea’s response was, but it left Osaka smiling and shaking her head as she walked to the center of the court to wave to the fans at Margaret Court Arena.

During a post-match interview on the court, Osaka wasted no time in bringing up the icy, post-match net exchange when she was asked about what it took to prevail against Cirstea.

Naomi Osaka on the icy handshake with Sorana Cirstea at the Australian Open

“What did it take to get through that one?”

Naomi: “Apparently a lot of come ons that she was angry about. Whatever. She’s a great player. I think this was her last Australian Open. Sorry she was mad… pic.twitter.com/uCODMBfnKD

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 22, 2026

What led to the frosty Australian Open handshake between Osaka and Cirstea?

“Apparently a lot of come-ons that she was angry about,” Osaka said as the crowd booed. “I tried to play well—I think I hit a lot of unforced errors, but I tried my best. She’s a great player. I think this was her last Australian Open, so okay, sorry she was mad about it.”

In a tightly contested match that saw the two women split the opening two sets, Cirstea apparently took exception to Osaka yelling “come on” in between the Romanian’s first and second serves, complaining to the chair umpire about it during the final set.

When asked to confirm whether this was the source of Cirstea’s frustration, Osaka said she thought it was and emphasized that her opponent could have asked her to refrain from doing so.

“No one’s ever complained about it before,” Osaka said in her post-match presser. “And also, the umpire didn’t tell me that I was wrong. The umpire said I was fine … I thought we moved past it.”

Cirstea, who wasn’t keen on discussing the tense moment at her post-match presser, downplayed the icy handshake while speaking to reporters.

“No, there was no drama,” Cirstea said. “It was just a five-second exchange between two players that have been on a tour for a long time. It stays between us.”

Osaka apologizes for post-match interview after brief handshake with Cirstea

Osaka said she hadn’t spoken to Cirstea after the match, but apologized for what she said in her interview on the court.

“If I’m being honest, I’ve never been involved in something like this before,” Osaka said. “I don’t know if we’re supposed to leave it on the court and be like ‘Hey.. how you doing?’ I’m a little confused but I get that emotions were very high for her.

“I also want to apologize. I think the first couple things I said on the court were disrespectful. I don’t like disrespecting people. That’s not what I do. If she wants to talk about it, then yeah. When I’m pumping myself up, in my head, I’m not like ‘O.K., and now I’m gonna distract the other person.’ It’s purely for me.”

Osaka fired 38 winners and had 41 unforced errors but converted five of eight break point chances to win the match and advance to the third round of the Australian Open, where she’ll face Maddison Inglis on Friday.

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