Japanese Grand Slam trailblazer Naomi Osaka said Wednesday that she's happy to share the US Open spotlight with Kei Nishikori, describing her compatriot as "a big kid" in a show of openness which is rapidly transforming the 20-year-old into the sport's new poster girl.
Osaka became the first Japanese woman in 22 years to reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam when she defeated Lesia Tsurenko 6-1, 6-1 at Flushing Meadows.
However, she insisted that despite her growing profile -- and evidence to the contrary -- it is Nishikori who is the main driver of Japanese media attention.
"He's probably one of the nicest people I have ever met. We recently started talking. I think it's because I was too shy to talk to him before this tournament," said Osaka of Nishikori who was runner-up in New York in 2014.
"But then I started talking to him, and I think he was surprised about me talking to him. So, yeah, he's really cool."
-- Japan: super-awesome extended vacation' -
"I just think he's, like, a really big kid. He plays games and stuff, too. I think we're pretty similar in that sense. Overall, he's just really nice and positive and bubbly and stuff."
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