Osaka comes home, ends barren run with title
TOKYO: Japan’s Naomi Osaka ended an eight-month title drought by winning the Pan Pacific Open in her home city on Sunday, her first trophy since her second consecutive Grand Slam triumph at the Australian Open in January.
The former world number one overwhelmed Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 6-3 in just over an hour to make it third time lucky in finals at the tournament after finishing runner-up in 2016 and 2018.
The Us-based star, winner of last year’s US Open, was born in Osaka and it was clearly a happy homecoming for the 21-year-old who beamed and smiled her way through a dominant week on court.
She became the first Japanese player to win the Pan Pacific title since Kimiko Date in 1995.
“I have played finals here. This is my third time. So I am really glad that I was able to win, and for it to be in the city where I was born makes it really special,” Osaka said.
Pavlyuchenkova had no answer to Osaka’s powerful and precise serving as the Japanese won a perfect 100 percent of points when her first serve was successful and battered down four aces.
Osaka raced into a 3-0 lead early on and was rarely troubled thereafter as the Russian world number 41 was outclassed, unable to force a break point while the home crowd favourite broke Pavlyuchenkova twice in the first set and once in the second set with an array of powerful groundstrokes from both wings.
Osaka’s victory march was momentarily interrupted when her apparent match-winning ace was overruled after a Pavlyuchenkova challenge.
But it mattered not as a wideangled Osaka backhand when the point was replayed sealed the match moments later when the Russian netted.
The victory avenged Osaka’s defeat to Pavlyuchenkova in their only prior encounter, when the Russian beat the top seed in straight sets en route to the 2017 Hong Kong Open title.
VENUS CRASHES OUT
WUHAN:VENUS Williams’ first visit to Asia since 2017 was cut short as she crashed out of the Wuhan Open first round on Sunday 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) to fellow American Danielle Collins.
The 39-year-old Williams, a 2015 Wuhan champion now 59th in the world rankings, squandered a lead in the first set before eventually losing to Collins, who recorded just the second match win of her career on Chinese soil.
The 35th-ranked Collins rallied back from 3-5 down in the opening set, winning a whopping nine games in a row to go up 7-5, 5-0. Williams, a wildcard at Wuhan this year, finally stopped the bleeding, holding the serve to interrupt her opponent’s momentum.
It was the start of a surprising five-game run from Williams, who saved two match points along the way as she drew level at 5-5.
In the decider, Williams got the first mini-break but it was Collins who eventually created a 6-4 gap, converting with an ace on her fourth match point to move into the second round.
It was Collins’ second triumph over Williams, who had also stumbled against the 25-year-old during the Miami Open last year.
Collins next takes on defending champion and ninth seed Aryna Sabalenka, a 6-1, 6-2 winner over Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
NADAL INJURED
GENEVA: Rafael Nadal has pulled out of his Laver Cup matches on Sunday due to inflammation in his hand, denying fans the opportunity to see him partner Roger Federer in the doubles on the final day of the tournament in Geneva. Team Europe’s Nadal was scheduled to take on Team World’s Nick Kyrgios in his singles clash before partnering Swiss Federer to face John Isner and Jack Sock.
“I’ve had an amazing time playing at the Laver Cup and I’m so disappointed I’m not able to play again today, but I have some inflammation in my hand and I need to rest,” Nadal said in a statement. “The atmosphere has been amazing in Geneva and of course I’m going to be there courtside today for all my team mates and do everything I can to support them and help Team Europe win the Laver Cup.”
Nadal will be replaced in the doubles by Stefanos Tsitsipas while Dominic Thiem will take his place in the singles to face Kyrgios.
SHARAN LIFTS TITLE
ST. PETERSBURG: India’s Divij Sharan on Sunday claimed his fifth ATP career title after winning the St Petersburg Open doubles crown, partnering Igor Zelenay of Slovakia here.
The Indo-slovakian got past Italian pair of Matteo Berrettini and Simone Bolelli 6-3 3-6 10-8 in tie-breaker in the hard-fought summit clash that lasted for one hour and 17 minutes.
This is Divij’s second title of the season after winning the Maharashtra Open in Pune earlier this year. “It took a while to realise we actually won the match. It was so sudden. I would like to dedicate this win to my mother as it is her birthday today,” he said.