Naomi Osaka won her first match since October, defeating Lina Glushko in the first round of the ASB Classic in Auckland.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka made a winning return to the court after an almost three month absence Monday in the first round of the ASB tennis classic in Auckland, undeterred by protests outside the stadium against her Israeli opponent. Osaka beat qualifier Lina Glushko 6-4, 6-4 in a tight contest in her first match since October when a back injury at the China Open ended her 2024 season.
All the hallmarks of Osaka’s game were present Monday: the powerful serve, forceful ground-strokes particularly from the forehand side and the aggression. She looked relaxed and comfortable on court with no sign of her recent injury. Osaka had to deal with a swirling wind on center court and with delays in play caused by the chants of a small group of protesters which were clearly audible within the stadium. There was a longer break as Osaka was poised to serve out the first set when Glushko had to leave the court for treatment to a hip injury. “I just heard a lot of shouting, and then people on the sidelines were telling me there was protests,” Osaka said. “I had no idea what the score was most of the time. ”I just kept trying to tell myself one point at a time and trying not to get discouraged.Osaka was supported at courtside by her new coach Patrick Mouratoglou who previously had a long-term association with Serena Williams.The second set was tighter. Osaka broke Glushko in the third game but Glushko converted her only break point of the match to level at 2-2. Glushko held to love in the seventh game to lead 4-3 but Osaka seemed to step up at that point, held with two aces for 4-4, broke for 5-4 and held serve to love to clinch the win. Her serve was solid throughou
TENNIS OSAKA GLUSHKO ASB CLASSIC RETURN
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