“I was trying not to cry when I walked out,” Naomi Osaka gets emotional as she beats Jelena Ostapenko to reach the US Open second round

Naomi Osaka secures arguably the biggest win of her career since returning to the WTA tour earlier this year.

“I was trying not to cry when I walked out,” Naomi Osaka gets emotional as she beats Jelena Ostapenko to reach the US Open second round

Naomi Osaka (via X)

Former World No.1 Naomi Osaka made her return to the US Open in the best possible manner with a convincing 6-3, 6-2 win over 10th seed Jelena Ostapenko. The four-time Grand Slam champion dominated the entire contest, securing arguably her biggest win since her return earlier this year.

Osaka was emotional after her win, considering she didn’t participate in the US Open last year. The right-hander was absent from the 2023 season due to pregnancy.

I was trying not to cry when I walked out. Last year I watched coco play and I so badly wanted to step on these courts again. I don’t know if I could. I don’t know if athletically physically if I was able to. Just to win this match and to be in this atmosphere meatns so much to me. So thank you.
Naomi Osaka said in her US Open post-match interview

Osaka has won the US Open in 2018 and 2020. In 2018, she claimed her first Grand Slam title by defeating Serena Williams in a highly controversial final, where the 23-time Grand Slam champion received a game penalty.

However, since her title-winning run in 2020, she hasn’t found much success at the US Open. In 2022, she lost in the first round to Danielle Collins.

Naomi Osaka secures first top 10 win in four years at the US Open

Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, claimed a remarkable victory over Jelena Ostapenko in the US Open’s first round on Tuesday, August 27. She won with a score of 6-3, 6-2. This win marked her first victory over a Top 10 player in over four years.

Naomi Osaka US Open
Naomi Osaka at the US Open (via X)

Osaka’s performance was impressive, with 19 winners and only five unforced errors. She won 39 out of 50 service points and did not face a single break. Her strong showing on the court was clear.

At the US Open, Osaka has now won 23 out of 28 matches, giving her an impressive win percentage of 82.1. Among current players with more than ten main-draw matches, only Bianca Andreescu has a better winning percentage at 85.7.

Though ranked No. 88 and needing a wild card to enter the main draw, Osaka played like a top contender. Her next match on Thursday is against Karolina Muchova, another unseeded player who just defeated Katie Volynets in straight sets.

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