A overcome Jelena Ostapenko in a thrilling first-round encounter marked the successful return of an emotional Naomi Osaka to the US Open.
Osaka, a tennis player from Japan, won the first of her four Grand Slam titles in New York in 2018 and repeated the feat in 2020 at Flushing Meadows.
After giving birth to her daughter Shai, she was unable to attend the event the previous year, but she was inspired to compete again by what she saw in the stands.
The 10-seeded Ostapenko of Latvia presented a formidable challenge for the former world number one, but in just 63 minutes, the Latvian prevailed 6-3 6-2.
After the victory, Osaka sobbed with happiness and excitement while covering her face with her towel. She reacted angrily during her on-court interview.
“I tried not to cry when I was walking out,” the 26-year-old said.
“I remember last year I was watching Coco [Gauff] play, and I so badly wanted to step on these courts again.
“I didn’t know if I could—athletically, physically, if I was able to. Just to play this match and be in this atmosphere means so much to me, so thank you.”
Osaka’s victory over Ostapenko was her first over a player ranked in the top 10 in four years.
Speaking before the US Open, Osaka, who also won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021, mentioned that she hasn’t felt “like I’m in my body” since returning from maternity leave.
In July 2023, she gave birth to a daughter named Shai, and in January, she resumed her WTA Tour.
She has not advanced past the quarterfinals of any event, despite some noteworthy performances, such as coming just short of defeating eventual champion Iga Swiatek at the French Open.
Karolina Muchova, a previous French Open finalist, is waiting for her in the second round of the New York Open, giving her another difficult draw.
When asked what her objectives were for the competition, Osaka replied, “Keep focusing; keep trying to play really well, but overall, have a lot of fun.
“Last night my daughter didn’t want to go to sleep on her bedtime, so I had to hold her for quite a while, and I was thinking, Oh wow, she really picked the perfect day not to go to sleep.
“Moments like that are so precious to me, and I can only hope I keep having more.”
(BBC)
