(CNN) — Despite the up-and-down functionality, Naomi Osaka’s US Open title defense is Released in New York.
The world No. 1 from Japan defeated No. 84 Anna Blinkova of Russia 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-2 on Tuesday in her return to Arthur Ashe Stadium, the scene with her first big title. But it was far from easy.
„I really don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous in my life,“ Osaka said to ESPN on court after the win.
Osaka got off to a slow start, tracking with a young break in the opening set. Until finishing the first set — Nevertheless, the two-time key champion responded in a row — the second of that bringing a grin out from the 21-year-old.
The roller coaster continued in the next group, with Osaka. In the subsequent game, she moved on to split Blinkova at love. Serving for the match at 6-5, nevertheless, was not so straightforward, with Blinkova saving a match point and pushing the tiebreak. On her fifth set point, Blinkova came through to force a decider.
After all of that function, Osaka had no difficulty closing the set. She ended with 43 winners in a game that lasted two hours 28 minutes to 50 unforced errors.
„I just came off very slow, and that I really found my rhythm,“ Osaka said to ESPN. „But I think I only fought as hard as I can, and I was able to win.“
On asked why she was worried, Osaka replied she“only definitely didn’t wish to lose at the first round.“
„You kind of want to do well when you did last year,“ Osaka stated to the audience. „For me personally, I just — I do not understand. I really like you guys, so I wanted to stay here more.“
Osaka is seeking to become first woman because Serena Williams won three in a row from 2012 to 2014 to shield a US Open title. She will need to defend her name to maintain the No. 1 ranking. Osaka opponent would be Poland’s Magda Linette, who won her first career WTA title over the weekend at the NYJTL Bronx Open.
Back in January when she won the Australian Open, Osaka became the first woman to win second consecutive major after winning her early since Jennifer Capriati did so in 2001 (Australian Open followed with the French Open). But after hoisting the prize Osaka has been Somewhat uneven away from the courts that are hard, dropping in the very first round at Wimbledon and at the round of the French Open.
There has been recent accident. Earlier this month in the Western and Southern Open in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, Ohio, Osaka was forced to retire in her quarterfinal match against American Sofia Kenin due to a knee injury. Tuesday, osaka wore a knee brace on her left knee in her game.
Osaka is back on her comfortable surface while she may not have been on Tuesday. She has reached two quarterfinals at Cincinnati and Toronto, and each of her career singles titles are won having also won Indian Wells at 2018.
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