Naomi Osaka is back.
The 23-year-old tennis sensation took to the court Sunday for the first time since pulling out of the French Open …
Naomi Osaka is back. The 23-year-old tennis sensation took to the court Sunday for the first time since pulling out of the French Open in May to take a mental health break, besting Zheng Saisai of China 6-1,6-4 in a first-round Olympic victory. Afterward, Osaka spoke with the media for the first time since declining to speak with reporters at the French Open, a controversial decision that led to fines and her eventually withdrawing from the tournament. “More than anything else, I’m just focused on playing tennis,” Osaka said. “The Olympics has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, so I feel like the break that I took was very needed. I feel definitely a little bit refreshed, and I’m happy again.” Two months away from competition did not seem to affect the second-ranked Osaka, as she kicked off the match by launching an ace into the service box and built a 5-0 lead over the 52nd-ranked Zheng.
