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Osaka wins first match at Wimbledon since 2018

motorsport01 July 2024 19:47| © AFP
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Naomi Osaka © Gallo Images

Former world No 1 Naomi Osaka said it felt "like a dream" to claim her first win at Wimbledon since 2018 as she looked forward to celebrating the occasion with her daughter, who turns one on Tuesday.

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Japanese star Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, recovered from a break down in the final set to defeat Diane Parry of France 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 on the back of 34 winners.

"It feels like a dream because I haven't played here many times," said Osaka, whose last appearance at the All England Club was in 2019, when she exited in the first round.

"I hope it was fun for everyone to watch. I'm really excited to be here because Wimbledon was the first tournament I watched last year after my pregnancy."

Osaka said she was inspired to victory by casting a glance at her photographs from last year, when she gave birth to daughter Shai.

"I was looking at my photo album. Like, they have that feature 'this time last year'. I was looking at that. I was looking at photos of myself in the hospital.

"It's really cool to be here now. I think my mindset last year was just trying to survive. Honestly, I didn't really know what was going on after I gave birth. Yeah, just trying to piece myself back together."

Osaka raced through the first set on Monday in just 22 minutes before her 53rd-ranked rival levelled the contest.

In a rollercoaster decider, Parry was 3-1 ahead before Osaka battled back to 3-3.

Osaka then saved two break points to edge 5-4 ahead and claimed victory when Parry served up her 10th double fault of the match.

Osaka, who only returned to the tour at the start of the season afer maternity leave, is ranked at 113 and required a wild card to play at Wimbledon.

At the recent French Open, she gave world No 1 Iga Swiatek a mighty scare, holding a match point in their second-round clash before the Pole prevailed.

"My heart was racing today. These are the types of matches you need to play to ease into the tournament," she said.

"I'm glad I didn't have to play a final-set tiebreaker."

Osaka said she found it a challenge to dig deep when she was down a break in the decider.

"I can be a little bit down on myself but I'm really trying to stay positive," explained the 26-year-old.

"There's a really nice man over here that was just telling me 'Come on Naomi' and I was like 'Yeah, I got this, I got this' so thank you."

Osaka said her daughter's birthday party will be a low-key affair with a cake and a good book.

"I bought her a birthday present but I feel like I'm constantly buying her birthday presents. I bought her a book, so hopefully she's satisfied with the book," she said of her purchase of Beatrix Potter's classic "The Tale of Peter Rabbit".

Osaka will face US 19th seed Emma Navarro or Wang Qiang of China for a place in the last 32.

GAUFF BREEZES INTO SECOND ROUND AS RIVALS FALL

Coco Gauff breezed into the Wimbledon second round with a straight-sets victory over US compatriot Caroline Dolehide after seeing two potential semifinal rivals exit the tournament.

Second seed and US Open champion Gauff came through 6-1, 6-2 in just 64 minutes on Centre Court, avoiding a repeat of 12 months ago, when she was dumped out in the first round by fellow American Sofia Kenin.

Earlier Monday, third-ranked Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka withdrew from the tournament with a shoulder injury.

Eighth-seeded Zheng Qinwen was knocked out by New Zealand qualifier Lulu Sun.

Both women were in Gauff's side of the draw and potential opponents in the last four.

"Wimbledon is the place where I believed that the dream was possible," said Gauff, who made her breakthrough at the tournament in 2019 when she reached the fourth round as a 15-year-old qualifier.

"I've played on a lot of big courts but every time I play here I feel even more nervous – even more than in a Grand Slam final."

OTHER WOMEN'S RESULTS

Czech Brenda Fruhvirtova stunned Roland Garros semifinalist and 24th seed Mirra Andreeva of Russia with a 1-6 6-3 6-2 win, while former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu claimed a 6-4 6-2 win over Romanian Jaqueline Cristian.

American Emma Navarro, the 19th seed, had no trouble overcoming China's Wang Qiang 6-0 6-2 and British wildcard and former US Open champion Emma Raducanu beat lucky loser Renata Zarazua 7-6(0) 6-3 to reach the second round, where she will face Belgium's Elise Mertens.

Last year's quarterfinalist Madison Keys, meanwhile, beat Martina Trevisan 6-4 7-6(4) to reach the second round, where the American 12th seed will face China's Yafan Wang.

Also French Open finalist Jasmine Paolini beat Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo 7-5 6-3 to reach the second round, where the Italian seventh seed will face Germany's Greet Minnen.

Former quarterfinalist and Russian 14th seed Daria Kasatkina breezed past Zhang Shuai 6-3 6-0, while Ukrainian 18th seed Marta Kostyuk beat Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova 6-3 6-2.

Earlier, Australian Open semifinalist and Ukrainian 28th seed Dayana Yastremska beat Argentina's Nadia Podoroska 6-1 7-6(1) to reach the Wimbledon's second round for the first time since 2019.

Former quarterfinalist and 25th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated Taylor Townsend 7-6(4) 6-1 in the first round, while Greek ninth seed Maria Sakkari served five aces as she brushed aside American qualifier McCartney Kessler 6-3 6-1.

Belarusian 16th seed Victoria Azarenka withdrew due to a shoulder injury ahead of her first-round match against Sloane Stephens.

Azarenka has been replaced in the draw by lucky loser Elsa Jacquemot.

 

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