An emotional Naomi Osaka made a triumphant US Open return by beating Jelena Ostapenko in a blockbuster first-round match.
Japan’s Osaka is a two-time champion at Flushing Meadows, profitable the primary of her 4 Grand Slam titles in New York in 2018 and repeating the feat in 2020.
She missed final 12 months’s event after giving beginning to daughter Shai however watched from the gang, which reignited her want to compete.
The previous world primary confronted a troublesome activity in opposition to Latvian tenth seed Ostapenko, however got here by means of 6-3 6-2 in simply 63 minutes.
Osaka lined her face together with her towel as she cried tears of pleasure and reduction after the win, and have become emotional once more in her on-court interview.
“I used to be attempting to not cry once I was strolling out,” the 26-year-old mentioned.
“I keep 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.
“I did not know if I may – athletically, bodily, if I used to be in a position to. Simply to play this match and be on this ambiance means a lot to me, so thanks.”
