[Singles Qualifying – First Round]
○ Aoi Ito (JPN) 6-3, 6-4 ● Tyra Caterina Grant (ITA),

■Ito, whose ranking has dropped to No. 344 due to injury, overpowered the world No. 151　player. Although Ito produced some impressive winners of her own, the match was largely decided by a mix of winners and unforced errors from her opponent. “To put it simply, I feel like I didn’t really do anything out there,” Ito reflected. “It was pretty much a matter of whether my opponent’s shots went in or not. Honestly, there wasn’t much I could do on my side. If I had to point out one thing, I was serving well, and I think that was the key to my win.”

■At this tournament two years ago, Ito made an impressive run, going through the qualifying rounds and reaching the semifinals of the main draw. Her unconventional style of play unsettled every opponent she faced by disrupting their rhythm. “That was one of the tournaments where I began my breakthrough,” she said, looking back on the event where she first made her presence felt on the women’s tour. Ito said “I think this tournament has been a good fit for me. The balls don’t travel that fast on the Center Court, which makes it easier for me to play.” She enters the tournament with quiet confidence, hoping to build on her previous success.

(Japan Tennis Association)