Naomi Osaka Dominates Opening Round at China Open 2024 with New Coach
Naomi Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam champion, defeated Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti 6-3, 6-2 in the opening round of the China Open 2024 on Wednesday.
Osaka played their first game under the direction of well-known coach Patrick Mouratoglou in this contest. The four-time Grand Slam champion concluded the first-round match with grace as she was the main attraction on the first day of competition.
On the first day of play, the four-time Grand Slam champion was the main attraction. She defeated the 77th-ranked Italian player in 83 minutes, demonstrating her class.
Next up for Osaka is Yulia Putintseva, the 21st-seeded woman from Kazakhstan. Osaka won the 2019 China Open before COVID-19 and a WTA boycott of China over Peng Shuai’s well-being prompted the cessation of events in China for four years.
The 26-year-old Osaka broke up with Wim Fissette after an unsatisfactory second-round loss at the US Open, and she started training with Mouratoglou prior to the Asian swing of the women’s circuit.
“I believe I’ve reached a point in my life where I don’t want to look back,” the Japanese athlete remarked following her match on Wednesday. “At this point in my career, I feel like I really need to learn as much as possible, but I’d rather take the plunge and — I don’t want to say ‘fail’.”
“Patrick seemed to be the person with, I suppose, the knowledge I was looking for.”
In the eighth game of the opening set, Osaka made the crucial break after the players traded breaks earlier in the set. In the second set, she upped the ante and broke Bronzetti twice more to complete the match, riding some strong serve.
Sofia Kenin, the last Australian Open champion, advanced after defeating Romania’s Ana Bogdan 7-5, 6-2. One of a record 15 American women in the Beijing draw, Kenin, 25, will next take on Diana Shnaider, ranked 12th, in the second round.
Both American Taylor Townsend, who defeated Martina Trevisan 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, and Katie Volynets, who defeated Dalma Galfi 7-5, 6-1, will play alongside Kenin in the second round.
Zhang Shuai of China defeated McCartney Kessler, another American, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (1) in a close encounter. Additionally, Yuliia Starodubtseva defeated Laura Siegemund 6-4, 7-6 (3), while Wang Xinyu of China defeated Mai Hontama of Japan 6-1, 6-3.
Top-seeded and U.S. Open champion Aryna Sabalenka will face the victor of Zarina Diyas vs. Mananchaya Sawangkaew on Friday in the second round of the competition. Highest ranked Four-time WTA 1000 champion Iga Swiatek will not be competing this week due to personal reasons.
Top-seeded Jannik Sinner and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, who have combined for all four Grand Slam championships this season, will be the main attractions in the men’s competition, which gets underway on Thursday. Second place In order to recuperate from an illness, Alexander Zverev said earlier this week that he would not be performing in Beijing.
Japan Open
Ranked second In the first round of the Japan Open, Hubert Hurkacz defeated Marcos Giron 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4 in three sets. The eighth-ranked Hurkacz, a Polish player, extended his head-to-head record versus the American to 3-0 with his 40th victory of the season.
Matteo Berrettini defeated Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-4 to start his Tokyo campaign with ease. The big-serving Italian broke van de Zandschulp four times and delivered seven aces.
The 45-year-old Berrettini, who was previously ranked sixth, may face Taylor Fritz, the top seed, in the second round. Fritz’s opening match on Thursday is against Frenchman Arthur Fils. Fritz reached his first Grand Slam final at the U.S. Open this month.
Argentina’s Mariano Navone defeated Luciano Darderi of Italy 6-4, 6-4.
