Prime-ranked Iga Swiatek fought by way of a tricky first-round match on the US Open on Tuesday, and two-time champion Naomi Osaka made a formidable return to the event by beating No. 10 Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 6-2 in a uncommon first-round conflict between former main winners.
Osaka, the 2018 and 2020 champion in Flushing Meadows, wanted solely 64 minutes to oust Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion.
It was the type of efficiency that was normal from Osaka when she reached No. 1 within the rankings and received 4 Grand Slam titles from 2018 to 2021.
However she had missed massive gaps of time since, first for psychological well being breaks then after giving beginning, and simply this month posted on social media concerning the struggles of not taking part in in addition to she used to after failing to qualify for the event in Cincinnati.
Osaka smashed 19 winners in opposition to solely 5 unforced errors Tuesday and mentioned the adoring New York crowd fueled her from the second she stepped out on the courtroom.
“I used to be attempting to not cry once I was strolling out,” Osaka mentioned. “I bear in mind final 12 months I used to be watching Coco [Gauff] play and I so badly wished to step on these courts once more and I did not know if I might.”
Her emotional return was almost derailed by an uncooperative 1-year-old.
“Final night time, my daughter did not need to fall asleep on her bedtime so I needed to maintain her for fairly some time,” Osaka mentioned. “I used to be like, ‘Oh wow, she actually picked the right day not to fall asleep.'”
Osaka’s win Tuesday was her first over a WTA top-10 participant in additional than 4 years, since she defeated No. 9 Kiki Bertens within the quarterfinals at Brisbane in 2020.
She wore a Kobe Bryant jersey to her postmatch information convention and recalled the time the Los Angeles Lakers legend got here to observe her play at Louis Armstrong Stadium right here 5 years in the past.
“I actually bear in mind being a bit of bit in disbelief that he was coming particularly to observe my match,” she mentioned. “Simply to really feel that assist was unreal. I believe for me I all the time put on Kobe jerseys after matches and practices as a result of I really feel like a bit of bit, like, I can type of maintain his spirit with me.”
For Tuesday’s match, Osaka was decked out — from her visor and gown to the bows on her again and hooked up to her footwear — in lime inexperienced.
“I really feel like with the ability to be part of [designing] my tennis outfits provides me, I’d say, a distinct energy, particularly the US Open outfits. I really feel like they’re a bit of bit extra flamboyant. After I was placing on my outfit at this time, I used to be, like, ‘Ah, I hope this is not an excessive amount of,'” she mentioned with a smile. “As a result of I had the tutu, after which I had the bow jacket and it was inexperienced. I really feel like everybody was gazing me.”
One other participant requested for a photograph, Osaka mentioned, including: “I hope it was a optimistic image [and] it wasn’t, like, ‘Oh, my God, have a look at her.’ For me, once I placed on the outfit, it is virtually like an excellent go well with, so I attempt to channel that.”
Her matchup in opposition to Ostapenko marked the primary time two previous main champs confronted off within the opening spherical on the US Open since Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova 5 years in the past. One other such contest got here Tuesday night time, when 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin beat 2021 US Open winner Emma Raducanu 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.
“Having two wins right here means so much, and I believe for me, I have been battling confidence all year long,” mentioned Osaka, who returned to motion on the Australian Open in January, her first Grand Slam look in almost 1½ years. “This time now forces me to look within the mirror and say, ‘Hey, you have achieved rather well right here. There is not any motive why you possibly can’t do effectively once more.'”
Osaka didn’t make a single unforced error within the first set and completed with solely 5, 16 fewer than Ostapenko.
“I do bear in mind considering, ‘I have to win this match so I can put on my different colour.’ That was essential to me,” mentioned Osaka, who’s ranked 88th and acquired a wild-card invitation from the USA Tennis Affiliation. “I assume you may see my different colour subsequent time.”
Subsequent time shall be Thursday in opposition to 2023 French Open runner-up Karolina Muchova, a 6-3, 7-5 winner in opposition to Katie Volynets of the U.S.
Swiatek had a harder time in her match than Osaka, edging Kamilla Rakhimova 6-4, 7-6 (6) regardless of 41 unforced errors. The 2022 champion was one level from being compelled to a 3rd set when Rakhimova, who was added to the primary draw as a fortunate loser after one other participant pulled out injured, took a 6-3 lead within the tiebreaker.
However Swiatek recovered and received the following 5 factors, ending the match when her opponent missed a backhand.
“Firstly [I felt] good, however then I bought a bit of bit tight and my opponent used it, so I used to be attempting to get again to my recreation,” Swiatek mentioned in her postmatch on-court interview. “I’ve simply been attempting to regulate to the courts, have not practiced so much, so this time I simply wished to really feel how it’s on Arthur Ashe [Stadium]. … I am fairly certain day-to-day I’m going to get increasingly rhythm.”
Swiatek improved to 22-1 in first-round matches at Grand Slams, together with 6-0 on the US Open. She’s going to subsequent face Ena Shibahara, a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (6) winner over Daria Saville.
Within the late night time match at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Shelby Rogers misplaced the ultimate match of her profession by a 6-4, 6-3 rating to No. 6 Jessica Pegula. Rogers, 31, introduced her choice to retire from the game final week. Pegula will subsequent face Kenin.
Different ladies shifting into the second spherical included previous main champions Elena Rybakina and Caroline Wozniacki and No. 5 Jasmine Paolini, a finalist on the French Open and Wimbledon this 12 months. However No. 11 Danielle Collins‘ Grand Slam singles profession ended with a 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 loss to Caroline Dolehide in an all-American matchup. The 30-year-old Collins is retiring after this season.
ESPN Stats & Info, The Related Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
