Osaka grinds out victory over Sakkari
BIRMINGHAM: World No.1 Naomi Osaka progressed to round two of the Birmingham Classic on Tuesday, but was made to work for a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 win over Greece’s Maria Sakkari.
Osaka admitted in her pre-tournament press conference that she still does not feel comfortable on grass.
However, she got off to a flying start in her first match since losing in the third round of the French Open.
Osaka broke Sakkari’s serve three times in romping through the first set.
The world No.33 fought back in the second to take the match to a deciding set.
Osaka needed to stave off five break points in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead but then pounced immediately for the only break in the final set.
Yulia Putintseva will face Osaka in round two after easing past Harriet Dart 6-1, 6-4.
Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko set up a second round clash with Britain’s Johanna Konta with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Iga Swiatek.
World No.3 Karolina Pliskova will face her twin sister Kristyna Pliskova in the next round after the latter beat Viktoriya Tomova 6-3, 6-4.
SHARAPOVA’S WINNING RETURN
Maria Sharapova made a winning return from injury on Tuesday by beating Viktoria Kuzmova 7-6 (10/8), 6-0 to reach the second round of the Mallorca Open.
The five-time Grand Slam champion has not played since the end of January after taking time out to recover from a shoulder injury, but edged a tight opening set against Kuzmova before strolling through the second.
Victory on the grass will come as a timely boost to morale for Sharapova, with the start of Wimbledon now less than two weeks away.
“It’s my first win in about three or four months,” Sharapova said afterwards.
“It’s great to be here in Mallorca. What a great place to train and have a warm-up tournament. It’s been amazing for all of us here, and it’s just been nice to experience it for the first time.”
Angelique Kerber now awaits Sharapova in round two after the top-seeded German defeated Belgium’s Ysaline Bonaventure 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.
Earlier, another former major champion crashed out as France’s Caroline Garcia came from behind to beat Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.