(August 27, 2024) Two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka of Japan, looked like she was back to the form that won her four majors when she defeated another major winner and powerful hitter in No. 10 seed Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 6-2 to reach the second round of the US Open on Tuesday in Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The former No. 1’s service game was on point winning 24 of her 20 first serves, hitting 9 aces against her Latvian opponent. She was 3 for 3 on break points and hit 19 winners.
Last year’s US Open quarterfinalist Ostapenko hit 21 unforced errors and hit 6 double faults.
Recipient of a wild card to enter this year’s US Open, the currently 88th ranked Osaka was off the tour and missed last year’s US Open due to maternity leave after giving birth to her daughter Shai in July.
Osaka broke serve in the eighth game of the first set and held to close it out 6-3. In the seocnd set, th four-time major winner broke serve to open the the set and broke again in the seventh game to close out the match 6-3, 6-2.
“I really respect her as a player, so I kind of knew that I had to play really well from the very first point, so I just tried to do that,” Osaka said of 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko.
Asked by media in her news conference about how her best matches have been against highly ranked players or major champions, she said “I would definitely say I’m not sure if it’s motivation or if I feel like I have no other choice but to play well, and then it gets rid of all the expectations and all the pressure I put on myself, because I know, like, no matter what, the tennis is going to be really great tennis, even if I win or lose.
“That’s kind of my mindset whenever I play, like, seeded players or really good players.”
She spoke about all of her hard work she’s done over the past 8 months.
“I’m really glad that I played all the tournaments this year, even though the results haven’t been that great, I feel like I could draw from each of those matches.
“Over time, I know even though I lost in the quallies of Cincy, I kind of gained confidence in myself in a weird way, because for me, that was, like, the worst possible outcome of my career. Granted, I could have lost in the round before that.
“But yeah, I just, I don’t know, it’s been so much hard work, so much, like, dreams and wishes, and I hope that I can continue. As of right now, I am really happy with how I played.”
“I feel like for me, this court is my home,” Osaka said. “It gives me so much more confidence. Like, I step on the court knowing that I probably have the most wins in the field maybe. I don’t know. Please don’t — I don’t know.
“But, like, you know, having two wins here means a lot, and I think for me I’ve been struggling with confidence throughout the year, and this time now forces me to look in the mirror and say, Hey, you’ve done really well here, there’s no reason why you can’t do well again.
“I just tried to channel that today.”
Osaka caused a sensation walking on court in a unique outfit which she calls “Lolita Goth” which had several layers which whittled down to a much simpler tennis outfit.
She talked about the outfit in her news conference.
“Well, I chose the color like at least a year ago. I definitely love to be involved in everything I do, whether it’s fashion or anything else. But I feel like being able to be a part of my tennis outfits gives me, I would say, a different strength. Especially the US Open outfits, I feel like they are a little bit more flamboyant. When I was putting on my outfit today, I was, like, ah, I hope this isn’t too much.
“Because I had the tutu and then I had the bow jacket and it was green, I feel like everyone was staring at me funny. And then I put the headphones on, that was a real killer.
“I was, like, you know what, embrace this maximalist style. And then it made me feel better, another player came up to me and asked to take a picture. I hope it was a positive picture, it wasn’t, like, Oh, my God, look at her.
“Yeah, I think for me when I put on the outfit it’s almost like a super suit, so I try to channel that. “
In her post-match interview with Pam Shriver, Osaka was tearful. “I was trying not to cry when I was walking out here,” Osaka she said.
“Honestly it’s like a combination of a lot of different things, she told media in her news conference. “I grew up here, so just seeing kids, and then remembering my daughter, but seeing kids coming and watching me play and just remembering that I was a kid, I guess a long time ago, made me very emotional.
“Then also just remembering that I came and watched Coco play her semis, and I was in the audience and I didn’t know if I was going to be able to play again at this level, and just to play Ostapenko who is such a great player and win that match means a lot to me.
“Yeah, just seeing the stadium really full, it meant a lot, because I was, like, oh, I hope people come watch me play.”
She admitted to feeling stress in the beginning of the match.
“She was hitting some really good shots. I just told myself keep going and keep fighting for every point.”
“Last year I was watching Coco (Gauff) play and I so badly wanted to step on these courts again,” she said. “I didn’t know if I could. … just to win this match and just to be in this atmosphere means so much to me.” Osaka said that she told herself at match point; “let’s keep going.”
Osaka will face Karolina Muchova in the second round.
More to follow…
