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NEW YORK – Japan’s Naomi Osaka showed no signs of discomfort from the injury that forced her to miss a final on Saturday, but the former US Open champion had to strain to beat compatriot Misaki Doi 6-2 5-7 6- 2 in his first game. at Flushing Meadows.
A left hamstring injury had forced Osaka to withdraw from the Western & Southern Open final against Victoria Azarenka, but the fourth-seeded movement did not appear to be affected against Doi on Monday.
Last week, 22-year-old Osaka emerged as the bearer of the tennis torch in protests against racial injustice and came out to court wearing a mask bearing the name of Breonna Taylor, a black woman killed by police officers who stormed into your apartment in March.
“Actually, I have seven (masks),” Osaka said.
“It is quite sad that seven masks are not enough for all the names. Hopefully, I’ll make it to the final, so you can see them all. “
Osaka initially withdrew from his semifinals at the Western & Southern Open on Thursday to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
She reversed her decision after tennis governing bodies suspended the tournament to join the protests.
NERVES OF THE FIRST ROUND
With no spectators allowed at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, large sections of seating on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court were covered with ‘Black Lives Matter’ banners.
Osaka, the 2018 champion, started strong in the first set when she broke Doi’s serve twice without facing a single break point.
But he struggled with his serve in the second and his unforced errors escalated when 81st-ranked Doi, who lost to Osaka in their only previous meeting in 2016, tied the game with a second break.
However, normal service resumed in the deciding match, as Osaka broke his Federation Cup teammate before sealing the victory with a second break.
“It was very difficult and I expected it because of the nerves of the first round and also she is a difficult opponent, so I knew there was a possibility that it would be very long,” Osaka said in an interview on the court.
“I felt like he could have been better (with my serve), but he did what he had to do on the very important points, so I can’t be that angry. I definitely need to practice a little more. “
Next up for Osaka, who was born in Japan to a Haitian father and a Japanese mother and moved to the United States when she was three, will be Italy’s Camila Giorgi, who previously beat Alison van Uytvanck 2-6 6-1 7-5.
“She’s very unpredictable to me, so I guess I’ll have to be vigilant,” Osaka said. – Reuters
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