Japanese trailblazer Osaka happy to share spotlight with 'big kid' Kei

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."
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"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."