Andy Roddick defended Naomi Osaka after criticism of her brief runner-up speech following a 6-4, 4-6, 1-6 loss to Victoria Mboko in the 2025 Montreal Open final. He argued that expecting players to deliver polished remarks immediately after a tough defeat is unrealistic.

Mboko has played so much tennis this season for one reason — because she wins and wins and wins some more. She’s just doing it on ever-bigger stages. In addition to Osaka and Rybakina, she beat world No. 2 Coco Gauff and 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin on the way to the title.

Osaka says she was in a daze and thats one of the reasons why she forgot to congratulate Mboko on the Montreal title on the court.