“I just adjusted a little bit,” Naomi Osaka reveals her success mantra as she starts the clay season with a straight-set win

Naomi Osaka breezed through her first clay-court test of the season, ending Anastasia Potapova’s nine-match winning streak with a 6-3, 6-1 triumph to get to the second round of the Madrid Open. The former world No. 1, who entered the event as a wildcard, took only 61 minutes to beat Russia’s Potapova, who was coming off a title run in Istanbul last week and had won nine consecutive clay matches before their match.

 “Really good to be playing on clay again”- Naomi Osaka

In the fifth game, a sloppy Naomi Osaka backhand into the net gave Potapova the first break of the match, allowing her to take a 3-2 lead. But Osaka came back immediately, scoring four points in a row to reclaim the first set. At 4-3, Osaka was awarded a breakpoint, which she took with a superb service return, forcing Potapova to hit into the net and bringing the first set within a game.

Osaka had little issue serving it out, blasting down an ace after a double fault to clinch the first set in 32 minutes. The Russian fought back, but a searing backhand winner and another unforced error by Potapova put the former world No. 1 ahead. Potapova was fighting hard to keep her service alive, but she did lose a double break when she blasted a forehand long. After that, Osaka did not look back, breaking Potapova’s serve for the third time to win the match.

“I wouldn’t say it was an easy match,” Naomi Osaka, who was all smiles out on the court, said afterwards.

“I would say I just adjusted a little bit but it’s really good to be playing on clay again. Honestly, I’m trying not to think about the next match. I’m just going to look at the things I did right and improve on that,” she went on to add.

Naomi Osaka will now lock horns with Sara Sorribes Tormo

Osaka will play Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo, who defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in a thrilling contest to book a clash with the Japanese. The Spaniard also beat Osaka on clay at the Billie Jean King Cup in 2020.

Also Read: “Iga Swiatek has a purpose” Naomi Osaka believes the World No. 1 is chasing some ‘secret’ goal

Stay Updated!

Join our newsletter to receive exclusive updates and curated insights directly to your inbox.

Subscribe NOW