Now watch the queen, conquered.

In a perfect fit of irony, US Open champion Naomi Osaka revealed that she listened to Nicki Minaj's new album, Queen, ahead of matches during her winning run. (That is, until Eminem dropped a surprise batch of songs.)

Oddly enough, Minaj was featured all Slam long in a TV commercial from Beats by Dre that, well, beat us all into submission over two weeks' time. And yes, it saluted Serena Williams.

Advertising

As it turns out, Osaka listens to a single artist at tournaments until she loses, then she switches to someone else, she told *People* magazine. Don't dub it flighty; it's focused, for sure.

Over the course of her run to the title in New York, Osaka earned kudos from her peers, commentators and—after the fact—the likes of Ellen DeGeneres, Michael B. Jordan and Tina Lawson, mom to one of Osaka's own queens, Beyoncé.

At this year's Citi Open in Washington, D.C., a prelude to the US Open, Osaka was listening to Kendrick Lamar. She proceeded to lose to Magda Linette in three sets. Weeks later, Serena breezed by Linette early on in Queens by a 6-4, 6-0 score.

So be it, tennis.

Follow Jon on Twitter: @jonscott9.