Singles Second Round
○ Naomi Osaka (JPN)  7-6(6), 3-6, 6-2  ● Suzan Lamens (NED)

■Naomi Osaka came out on top in a hard-fought match. In the first set, she lacked depth in her groundstrokes and often found herself on the defensive in rallies but she narrowly secured the set in a tiebreak. The second set saw Suzan Lamens take control early, pulling away and taking the set. Regarding her opponent’s performance, Osaka said, “She played much better than I expected. I try not to make assumptions about my opponents’ games, but she played really well.”

■In the final set, Osaka regained her composure and surged ahead to a 5-0 lead. However, while chasing down a ball to her forehand side in the next game, she strained her left hamstring on the return. After receiving treatment from a trainer and returning to the court, she saw her lead narrow to 5-2, but finally clinched victory on her third match point during her opponent’s service game.

■On her injury, Osaka said, “Toward the end, I could feel it gradually getting worse.” While painkillers helped ease the discomfort somewhat, she admitted, “It was obvious I wasn’t in good condition. Honestly, I just couldn’t move.”
Still, she remained hopeful: “I usually recover quickly, so I think I’ll be ready for the next match.”

■Osaka also shared how meaningful it is to play in Osaka, her birthplace. “It feels like coming home. I want to play well for the people who come out to watch,” she said. Her daughter, Shai, is scheduled to visit Osaka. “I’m excited to show her the city where I was born,” Osaka shared. Wanting to make the most of her time in Osaka with her daughter, she added, “Hopefully I can play in the next match too.”

(Japan Tennis Association)