Two-time champion and wildcard Naomi Osaka made a successful return to US Open tennis on Tuesday as the Japanese effortlessly defeated world number 10 Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-3, 6-2 in the women’s first round.
Former world number one Osaka, back at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for the first time since returning from maternity leave, needed just 1 hour and 4 minutes to prevail in a solid match, making just five unforced errors compared to Ostapenko’s 21.
“I tried not to cry when I went out,” a tearful Osaka said after the match on court in her return to the tournament where she won her first Grand Slam in 2018 by defeating Serena Williams in the final before winning the title again two years later by defeating Victoria Azarenka.
Naomi Osaka of Japan appears to cry after defeating Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia in the first round of the U.S. Open women’s singles in New York on Aug. 27, 2024. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
“I remember watching Coco (Gauff, the champion) play last year and I really wanted to step on that court again and I didn’t know if I could do it, I didn’t know if I was athletically and physically capable of it… Just being in that atmosphere means so much to me, so thank you.”
Osaka made no double faults, had nine aces to Ostapenko’s five and won 80 percent of her points with her first serve, preventing her opponent, known for her strong returns, from gaining a foothold in the match.
“It was exhausting, she really hit some good shots and I just said to myself, ‘Keep going, keep playing for every point and maybe you’ll get a chance’ and eventually I got it,” said Osaka, who broke three times but didn’t allow Ostapenko to break.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka will play against Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko in the first round of the women’s singles at the US Open in New York on August 27, 2024. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
“It’s weird. When you know you’re playing against someone who has a good return, you focus so much on your serve. I kind of did that today and I just hoped she didn’t hit too many winners against me.”
Osaka, who gave birth to her daughter in July last year, made her Grand Slam comeback at the Australian Open in January but lost in the first round. She was eliminated in the second round at the French Open and Wimbledon before also being eliminated in the first round at the Olympic Games in Paris.
“Overall, a lot of fun,” she said of her goal at the tournament in New York. “In fact, my daughter didn’t want to go to sleep at her bedtime last night, so I had to hold her for quite a while and I was like, ‘Oh wow, she really picked the perfect day to not go to sleep.'”
“Moments like these are so precious to me and I can only hope that I can experience more of them.”
Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts after defeating Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia in the first round of the women’s singles match of the U.S. Open in New York on Aug. 27, 2024. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
Japan’s Ena Shibahara defeated Australia’s Daria Saville 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(6) in a marathon match lasting 3 hours and 17 minutes, while Nao Hibino lost to Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki 6-0, 6-1.
In the first round of the men, Japanese Taro Daniel lost to Australian Tristan Schoolkate 4:6, 4:6, 6:4, 7:6(6), 6:4.
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