Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty

Naomi Osaka of Japan speaks with WTA supervisor Clare Wood after play was disrupted by a shout from the crowd during her straight sets defeat against Veronika Kudermetova of Russia in their second round match on Day 6 of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2022 in Indian Wells, California.

The 24-year-old tennis pro was taking part in the competition on Saturday, where she went up against competitorVeronika Kudermetova.

Amid the first round, a spectator reportedly yelled out, “Naomi, you suck,” whichESPNreported brought the young athlete to tears. The outlet said that Osaka asked for the fan to be kicked out, and later asked for a microphone to address the crowd — two requests which were rejected.

Clive Brunskill/Getty

Naomi Osaka of Japan walks off court after her straight sets defeat against Veronika Kudermetova of Russia in their second round match on Day 6 of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2022 in Indian Wells, California.

Continuing to play in the competition, Osaka went on to lose against Kudermetova, 24, in straight sets 6-0, 6-4.

Want to get the biggest stories fromPEOPLEevery weekday?Subscribe to our new podcast, PEOPLE Every Day, to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday.

“To be honest, I’ve gotten heckled before, it didn’t really bother me,” Osaka said, per the outlet. “But [being] heckled here, I watched a video of Venus and Serena getting heckled here, and if you’ve never watched it, you should watch it.”

“I don’t know why, but it went into my head, and it got replayed a lot,” added Osaka. “I’m trying not to cry.”

RELATED VIDEO: Grand Slam Leaders Pledge to Address Tennis Players' Mental Health Concerns, Commend Naomi Osaka

Osaka was taking part in her first tournament since the Australian Open in January. The tennis player had previously withdrawn from various other tennis events aftersharing her mental health struggleslast year.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Speaking with PEOPLE in August 2021, Osaka said, “I never thought about speaking my mind as something that was difficult. I really justwanted to express my true feelingsand be honest with not only myself but to others about struggles. The more we can all be open the more we can help each other be better.”

source: people.com