OSAKA BEATS WORLD NUMBER ONE BARTY TO WIN CHINA OPEN

BEIJING: Naomi Osaka won a second tournament on the spin as she fought back from a set down to defeat world No 1 Ashleigh Barty in the China Open final on Sunday. The Japanese two-time Grand Slam champion emerged victorious after 110 minutes in chilly Beijing, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

On Saturday, after defeating holder Caroline Wozniacki in the semi-finals, the 21-year-old called her own serve “confusing”. And so it was in the sixth game when Osaka conjured up a double fault, then an ace, then another double fault against Australia’s Barty.

The world No 4, victorious in her home Pan Pacific Open last month, was broken when she planted a forehand into the net.

The former No 1 appeared mildly uncomfortable with her shoulder, touching it and rotating it between points. Barty, 23, who had strapping down her left calf, wrapped up the first set in 34 minutes and frustration was creeping in for the Australian Open champion Osaka. But much of the crowd in Beijing was pro-osaka and they were cheering when she broke Barty to move 4-2 up on the way to winning the second set.

TITLE FOR DJOKOVIC TOKYO: World No 1 Novak Djokovic clinched the Japan Open on Sunday, dispelling concerns about the shoulder injury that forced him out of the US Open.

The Serbian star crushed Australian qualifier John Millman 6-3, 6-2 to mark his 10th win in a tournament main draw debut.

Djokovic, playing in his first Japanese competition, dominated throughout the week, never losing a single set to claim the trophy at the Ariake Colosseum, a venue for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Beaming Djokovic, the winner of 16 Grand Slams, now goes to the Shanghai Masters, where he is the top seed.