Collins and Osaka win to reach 2nd round at Madrid Open
MADRID –
Being extra optimistic is paying off for former No. 1 Naomi Osaka early in her clay-court season.
Osaka kicked off her clay marketing campaign with a cushty 6-3, 6-1 win over qualifier Anastasia Potapova within the first spherical on the Madrid Open middle courtroom on Friday.
“I am truthfully making an attempt to be extra optimistic with myself,” the Thirty sixth-ranked Osaka mentioned. “This 12 months I got here per week early to coach on purple clay, so simply making an attempt to offer myself extra possibilities to do higher. … To have the ability to do it in two units, for me, it is a actually good beginning block.”
The four-time Grand Slam champion withdrew from the French Open final 12 months and took a break from competitors after saying she “suffered lengthy bouts of melancholy” and skilled “large waves of tension” earlier than talking to the media. She was dropped at tears this 12 months at Indian Wells by a remark from a spectator.
She mentioned forward of the Madrid Open she was centered on not being too onerous on herself.
“Right now, for me, it was actually enjoyable, simply with the ability to be again on the clay and type of not taking these moments as a right,” she mentioned.
Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins received the final eight video games to advance 7-5, 6-0 over Monica Puig, the Olympic gold medalist in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Puig is returning to motion following shoulder and bicep surgical procedures. The Puerto Rican has appeared in solely 4 matches since her first main surgical procedure in 2019.
“You by no means know what to anticipate when somebody’s been out for some time, they usually’ve been engaged on some issues,” the sixth-seeded Collins mentioned. “You do not know what sort of recreation fashion that they’ll play, so it was a bit bit tough making an attempt to anticipate what she was going to do. I believe she performed at a super-high stage, particularly within the first set, and gave me loads of challenges.”
Collins additionally missed matches this season due to harm, together with a neck ailment she picked up throughout her quarterfinal run in Miami.
One other American to advance was Twelfth-seeded Jessica Pegula towards Camila Giorgi, 7-5, 2-6, 7-5. Madison Keys was eradicated by fourth-seeded Maria Sakkari 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-4.
Seventh-seeded Garbine Muguruza, one of many home-crowd favorites within the Spanish capital, defeated Ajla Tomljanovic 7-5, 6-2, whereas Leylah Fernandez, the U.S. Open runner-up, beat Andrea Petkovic 6-1, 1-6, 6-4.
Jil Teichmann handed three-time Madrid champion Petra Kvitova her first loss within the first spherical on the event since 2010.
In a match between 19-year-olds, wild card Marta Kostyuk beat Clara Tauson 6-3, 6-2.
High-ranked Iga Swiatek withdrew from the event on Wednesday due to a sore arm.
The boys’s first spherical begins subsequent week, headlined by Rafael Nadal and top-ranked Novak Djokovic.
