Former World No.1 Naomi Osaka showcased her winning prowess as she secured a victory against No.15 seed Caroline Garcia with a scoreline of 7-5, 6-4 in the first round of the Qatar Open, a WTA 1000 event.
In a 1-hour and 28-minute match on Monday night, Osaka avenged her earlier first-round defeat to Garcia at the Australian Open, marking her return to Grand Slam action after maternity leave began at the end of 2022.
Moving forward to the second round, Osaka is set to face Petra Martic of Croatia. Martic, a former Top 15 player, endured a challenging match on Monday, narrowly defeating Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(5) in a nearly three-hour play.
Osaka’s victory in Qatar follows her initial comeback win against Tamara Korpatsch in Brisbane. Despite facing three consecutive losses thereafter, Osaka has now reasserted her dominance, securing her first win over a Top 50 player since the Miami Open in March 2022 when she defeated Belinda Bencic.
Reflecting on her performance, Osaka expressed her improved gameplay, emphasizing better returns and increased focus compared to her Australian Open outing. “I feel like I’m a much better player now. I think that made a difference, especially against such a good server like she is,” Osaka commented.
–IANS
