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French Open 2024: Naomi Osaka wins first Grand Slam match after maternity break
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Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka won her first Grand Slam match after returning from a maternity break. The former World No. 1 defeated World No. 67 Lucia Bronzetti in the women’s singles first round 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 in 2 hours and a minute at the Phillipe Chatrier on the opening day of the main draw in Roland Garros on Sunday, May 26.
Naomi Osaka had returned from a 15-month break earlier in the year and crashed out in the opening round of the Australian Open to Caroline Garcia. However, the star player had a good run on clay, one of her weakest surfaces, in the lead-up to the Roland Garros. Despite her early exit in Madrid, she reached the pre-quarterfinal in Rome in May.
Roland Garros: Day 1 Order of Play
Osaka looked shaky in the opening-round win on Sunday. After dominating the first set against Bronzetti, the World No. 134 dropped her second set. Osaka got off to a rocking start in the decider, taking a 4-0 lead and looked like cruising to a victory. However, Osaka lost four or five games on the trot and served to stay in the match before wriggling out of trouble.
Naomi Osaka will next play the winner of another first-round match between World No. 1 Iga Swiatek and Jeanjean, a qualifier in Paris.
Osaka had spoken about improving on clay, hoping to have a good run in Roland Garros. Notably, the former numero uno had not gone past the third round in the clay-court Grand Slam.
BOUZKOVA FIRST WINNER IN PARIS
Meanwhile, Czech Republic’s Marie Bouzkova became the first player to win a match in the opening round when she upset 29th seed Veronika Kudermetova 6-2 6-4. Kudermetova has now fallen in the first round of her last three tournaments on clay.
RUBLEV ADVANCES, HUMBERT OUSTED
In the men’s singles, 17th seed Ugo Humbert was the first-seeded player to crash out. The local favourite was beaten by Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 in 2 hours and 49 minutes. The World No. 16 showed signs of form when he reached the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters in which he beat Sonego. However, his early exit comes as a disappointment for the local fans.
Meanwhile, 6th seed Andrey Rublev progressed to the second round after a laboured win against Japan’s Taro Daniel. Rublev, who won the Madrid Masters and sparked hopes of a deep run in Paris, needed 3 hours and 11 minutes to progress to the second round, beating Daniel 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 7-5.
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