Osaka opens title defence with straight-sets win

Digitalvedant449931 Aug, 2021Sport

Defending US Open champion Naomi Osaka passed her opening-round test, producing a powerful performance against Marie Bouzkova 6-4 6-1 on Monday. All eyes were on Osaka following a difficult couple of months due to mental health concerns as a result of "long bouts of depression" since winning the 2018 US Open. Osaka withdrew from May's French Open having won her first-round match, after she was fined and threatened with further punishment ? and possible expulsion from the grand slam ? for skipping obligatory media duties. The Japanese star subsequently pulled out of Wimbledon before returning for the Olympic Games, though she suffered a surprise loss on home soil in Tokyo and was reduced to tears during a news conference in Cincinnati.