The previous world No. 1 returned to her favored onerous courts in Toronto as we speak wanting like Naomi Osaka and sounding like Iga Swiatek.
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Osaka sped by means of seven of the final eight video games sweeping two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur 6-3, 6-1 in her Toronto opener.
4-time Grand Slam champion Osaka received 20 of 26 first-serve factors and didn’t face a break level in a one hour, 11-minute victory.
Afterward, Osaka she’s striving to emulate Swiatek’s squeaky sneaker hold forth the onerous courtroom to maintain as a reminder to maintain her toes energetic.
“I feel throughout these, like the primary few tournaments, I used to be type of counting on, like, my expertise and I assume my, like what I knew till that time, however tennis is evolving and everybody will get higher,” Osaka stated. “I actually needed to look at the gamers and study from them. I used to be telling you guys final time, however I am actually making an attempt to, like, do the squeaky toes like Iga, and I feel I did it fairly effectively as we speak, so fortunately that is figuring out.
Transitioning from Roland Garros’ purple clay the place Osaka misplaced to fellow former world No. 1 Angelique Kerber on the Paris Olympics to Toronto’s blue onerous courtroom is a welcome transition for Osaka, who calls the floor “my treasured onerous courtroom.”
All 4 of Osaka’s Grand Slam titles have come on onerous courtroom and she or he appeared proper at dwelling as we speak in Toronto enjoying her model of attacking baseline tennis.
“I might say my favourite factor about onerous courtroom, I do not know, it is quick, nevertheless it’s not too quick,” Osaka advised the media in Toronto. “Like, I really feel like on grass it is in some way slightly bit reactive, and I clearly could not get used to that fast sufficient, however on onerous it type of provides me at the very least a second to, I assume, construct up the purpose.
“I additionally really feel like that may even be the explanation why I did higher on clay versus grass, simply because I do fairly like constructing the purpose.”
A powerful facet of Osaka’s win over Jabeur as we speak was her first-serve proportion was solely 45 p.c, however she backed her second serve solidly successful 58 p.c of second-serve factors.
Subsequent up for Osaka is Elise Mertens, who defeated Katie Volynets 6-3, 6-1.
