[Singles First Round]
○ Naomi Osaka (JPN)  6-0, 6-4  ● Wakana Sonobe (JPN)

■Seventeen-year-old Wakana Sonobe who won the Australian Open Junior title earlier this year and turned professional this month, faced a fellow Japanese player in her debut match.  Her opponent was none other than Naomi Osaka, ranked No. 16 in the WTA and the top-ranked Japanese player.
“I was nervous because of who I was up against,” Sonobe admitted. “I knew I had to play well to even have a chance to win, so I felt that pressure.”
She failed to win a single game in the first set. Rather than being overwhelmed by Osaka's shots, it was her own unforced errors that stood out.

■It was not until the second set that Sonobe finally got into gear. She had been struggling with returns but managed her first break in the fourth game of the set.
“My feet started to move, and I was able to strike the ball with energy on my own,” she said, referring to regaining her usual rhythm in her strokes.
However, Osaka responded by shifting into a higher gear. Sonobe lost consecutive service games and could not win points on Osaka’s serve from there on.

■Reflecting on the bittersweet 0-6, 4-6 loss, Sonobe said, “I feel like I could have done more in the first set, so it’s frustrating... If I could, I’d like to play her again.”
Osaka, for her part, had praise for the debutant:
“I liked that she didn’t retreat or play defensively when returning my serves. She faced the pressure head-on and stayed aggressive — that was impressive. Maybe she overdid it a bit at times, but I like her playing style,” she commented on Sonobe’s first professional match.

■Even though her opponent was ranked in the 200s, Osaka came fully prepared.
“This morning, I saw her practicing on the court next to me and noticed how well she handled pace and flat shots. So I talked with my coach, and we decided to mix in some high-bouncing balls,”
Osaka revealed about her pre-match strategy. That change of pace seemed to disrupt Sonobe’s rhythm as well. It was a convincing win that reminded everyone why Osaka is a former world No. 1.

(Japan Tennis Association)