Japan's poster girl Naomi Osaka makes winning start to Olympic gold bid in her first match since pulling out of the French Open amid mental health row back in May
- Naomi Osaka featured in her first match since pulling out of the French Open
- Osaka clashed with organisers after boycotting press conferences in Paris
- She cited concerns about mental health and also sat out Wimbledon last month
- The home favourite made a strong start to her Olympic bid winning 6-1, 6-4
- Find out the latest Tokyo Olympic news including schedule, medal table and results right here
All eyes were on Naomi Osaka and she delivered a display to suggest that she will be the centre of attention for days to come as she breezed into the second round of the women's singles in Tokyo.
Osaka pulled out of the French Open in May following a row over a press conference boycott, something she elected to do because of the 'anxiety' they caused her, and had not played since.
But Osaka, who lit the flame in the opening ceremony in her home Olympics, took to Centre Court here against Zheng Saisai and dominated, winning 6-1, 6-4.
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After the match she spoke to a handful of Japanese reporters in the mixed zone.
Osaka is the face of these Games for Japan and lit the cauldron with the Olympic torch during the opening ceremony on Friday.
She torched some forehands on Centre Court here with a display that left Saisai with little hope of progression.
The Japanese star will face Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist, in the second round.
More to follow.
Osaka was tasked to light the Olympic flame at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic ceremony on Friday
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