Sports

Osaka begins US Open title defense with comfortable win over Bouzkova

New York City, US, Aug 30 (EFE).- Japanese tennis player and No. 3 seed Naomi Osaka began a defense of her US Open title with a comfortable 6-4, 6-1 win against 87th-ranked Czech Marie Bouzkova on Monday.

Osaka, who did not play at Wimbledon and withdrew from the French Open after the first round due to mental health reasons began playing her best tennis only after the first eight games of the match when the score was 4-4.

Bouzkova was unable to cope with the power of 23-year-old Osaka as she won the next seven games to clinch the first set and go up 5-0 in the second.

Bouzkova held her serve to take the score to 5-1 before Osaka sealed the win after one hour and 33 minutes of action on the center court at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Osaka’s powerful game on the hard court was in full swing.

The two-time US Open champion fired 34 winners to 24 unforced errors to break down Bouzkova’s physical defensive play and didn’t lose her composure as her opponent stepped up the pressure in the first set.

“I’ve played a lot of matches on this court, maybe the most in my career, and I definitely feel comfortable here,” Osaka said.

Osaka’s second-round match will be against Serbian Olga Danilovic, who qualified into the main draw with a 6-3, 7-5 win against 20-year-old American Alycia Parks. EFE

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