Naomi Osaka might seem a new name for those who just tuned in to the US Open championships, but the 19-year-old has been a rising star on the WTA tour for more than two years now.
The World No. 45 has made the third round of all four Grand Slams, but Wednesday’s first round defeat of defending champion Angelique Kerber was perhaps her biggest win till date.
It was Osaka’s first victory against a top-10 opponent in 10 tries. She almost won against top-ranked Karolina Pliskova three weeks ago in Toronto, but was forced to retire because of an abdominal injury after taking the second set. At 5-foot-11, Osaka comes across as an imposing figure on court. She possesses a powerful serve — much like her idol Serena Williams —which she used to the fullest as she steamrollered the defending champion 6-3, 6-1.
Osaka was born in Japan, but raised in the USA. Growing up at Long Island in New York, she said the stadium was not new to her. She came tantalisingly close to breaking through last year, but blew a 5-1 lead in the third set and lost to Madison Keys in the third round.
“I felt the same type of nerves come up, 4-1 in this match, so I wanted to tell myself just to keep playing how I was playing and not let the nerves get over me as much as last year,” she said.
Kerber was not the only Grand Slam champion on the women’s side to face a powerful rank outsider. French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko had a bit of a scare when she was 1-6 down in the second set, dominated by a determined Lara Arruabarrena from Spain.
The World No. 60, who is making her fifth main-draw appearance at the US Open, changed her tactics in the second set after losing the first 2-6. She made aggressive cuts and forays towards the net, bludgeoning Ostapenko into submission.
But the Latvian’s game in the third set was too much for Arruabarrena, who ultimately surrendered 1-6.
The Spaniard made her Grand Slam debut at the 2012 French Open, where she beat compatriot Garbine Muguruza in the final round of qualifying before losing to Ivanovic in Round One.
She has since then had a disappointing run, failing to reach the third round of any Major.