FLAME FAME OSAKA EXITS
Naomi Osaka, who lit the Olympic cauldron in Friday’s opening ceremony, was beaten 6-1, 6-4 in the third round of tennis competition by Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic.
Tokyo, July 27: The host country’s superstar is out of the Tokyo Olympics.
Naomi Osaka lost to former French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-4 in the third round of the Olympic tennis tournament on Tuesday.
The second-ranked Osaka, who was born in Japan and grew up in the United States, struggled with her usually reliable groundstrokes while the left-handed Vondrousova produced a series of dropshot winners and other crafty shots that drew her opponent out of her comfort zone.
It’s tough for her also playing in Japan and in the Olympics, the 42nd-ranked Vondrousova said. It’s so much pressure, I cannot imagine.
Osaka, who lit the Olympic cauldron in Friday’s opening ceremony, won her opening two matches in straight sets following a two-month mental-health break. But conditions were different Tuesday with the roof closed because it was raining outside.
Shortly after the match was over, organizers said that Osaka had left the venue and would not be talking to the media.
Osaka spoke openly to reporters after her first two matches. That came after she announced in May going into the French Open that she wouldn’t speak to reporters at that tournament, saying those interactions create doubts for her.
Playing Osaka for the first time, Vondrousova came out with her entire game clicking from the start and quickly ran out to a 4-0 lead in the first set as Osaka hardly had time to gather herself.
But it wasn’t simply an off day for Osaka; it was also an outstanding performance from Vondrousova. “I also (beat) Simona (Halep) twice, but I think now she (Osaka) is the greatest,” Vondrousova said.
In men’s action, Novak Djokovic added another medal event to his program by entering the mixed doubles draw with Serbian partner Nina Stojanovic.