Four years after her second US Open title, and just days after being awarded a wildcard for this year’s tournament, it was fair to wonder what kind of level we would see from Naomi Osaka in the first round against world number 10 Jelena Ostapenko.
The response was convincing as Osaka celebrated her return to New York after her maternity leave last year with a convincing 6-3, 6-2 victory.
The match, which followed a marathon between Danielle Collins and Caroline Dolehide on Louis Armstrong, lasted little more than an hour and was a reminder of Osaka’s brilliance, at least when she spins with such confidence.
The last few years have been something of a tennis wilderness for Osaka, who has been open about her mental health struggles, having lost in the first or second round at every other Slam this year.
Even after Tuesday’s victory, the burden of those ordeals was too much for Osaka to hide after the match. The soft-spoken star choked up as she spoke about missing last year’s tournament as the crowd cheered her on.
Naomi Osaka looked back at her best with a stunning opening round victory at the US Open
She appeared emotional in the moments following her dominant victory in New York
“I tried not to cry when I walked out,” she said. “I watched Coco (Gauff) play last year and I was so excited to get back on these courts. I don’t know if I could do it. I don’t know if I could do it athletically and physically.
“Just to win this game and be in this atmosphere means so much to me. So thank you.”
If the Japan-born player had any doubts about herself on Tuesday, she showed no signs of it during the match. She strode across the court in a striking lime green ‘Tinker Bell’ outfit and defeated one of the world’s best players with relative ease.
This was the four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, and the New York crowd was excited to catch at least a glimpse of her.
The first set actually went better for Osaka than the comfortable 6-3 score suggested.
She made no unnecessary mistakes and was even domineering on her second serve, winning 7 out of 9 points.
Her service dominance continued into the second set, where she at one point hit three aces in a row to take a 3-1 lead.
She ended up serving for the match with a 5-2 lead, faltering but eventually reaching the line after being holed 15-40.
She also squandered two match points in the ensuing deuce before she finally crossed the line, with someone in the crowd loudly calling her an “icon” before a crucial point.
Her winning shot came shortly afterwards with a beautiful cross-court forehand, and US Open fans will have her to admire for at least another match.