Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Former world No 1 Naomi Osaka made another stunning entry into the French Open on Thursday, but had to work hard to avoid the exit door with a 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 win over Croatian Donna Vecic in the second round.
The No. 16 seed’s outfit for her first-round match drew plenty of attention — but didn’t impress her opponent: Germany’s Laura Sigmund. Said she “didn’t come here for a fashion show”. After bowing out of the tournament with a straight sets loss to the four-time Grand Slam champion.
Osaka wore a sequined waist coat blouse and black mesh train over her layered yellow-brown and gold match dress in the first round, and arrived for the contest with Vecic in a white floor-length flared train over her dress, despite criticism.
“I like to keep people on their toes. I think it’s really fun,” Osaka said after her second-round win.
“There’s a community that I think is built on my court dress, so I guess you guys. I really enjoy that you enjoy it.”
Unlike Sigmund, Vecic has no problem with Osaka’s eye-catching entrance, saying: “It’s good that she’s doing different things, expressing herself through fashion.
“Whether it’s good (fashion) or bad, that’s a different thing, it’s fashion.
“Some people take tennis too seriously. Relax, it’s just a dress. It’s not that big of a deal. She has the opportunity to do it so why not?”
How Osaka fought in Paris
On another scorching hot day in Paris, the Japanese broke freely with Vekic in the opening set on Court Simone-Mathieu, before winning to lose only one point during the tie-break.
Osaka saved a break point in the second set to reach the third round for the first time since 2019 to win in one hour and 50 minutes.
She will next face 16th seed Eva Jovic after beating American compatriot Emma Navarro 6-0, 6-3.
At the Australian Open earlier this year, Osaka wore a wide-brimmed hat, a veil and carried a white parasol.
And at last year’s US Open, she topped off her red dress with bright red roses in her ponytail and even a matching bling she dubbed ‘Billie Jean Bling’.
So how did Osaka change its focus from its grand entrance to playing tennis matches minutes later?
“I’m a little used to it now,” he said. “The US Open, the roses in my hair, that’s when I really started to get more into it. Obviously with Australia, it was a real conversation starter. So I don’t really think it’s a big deal to do that and then play.
At the beginning of this year, the Japanese star made quite an impression at the Australian Open
“Athletes are in show business. The Grand Slam walk-on is the only time I possibly think I’m an entertainer.”
‘I didn’t fear for my life’ – Osaka on car crash in Paris before second round win
Speaking after the match, Osaka also gave an account of a car accident in Paris, as a bus overturned with the car she was traveling in.
“I wasn’t scared for my life, but I was just like: ‘Whoa, this bus is really backing up into us’, and you could hear the car crunching. Yeah, it was a really interesting situation. So I hope it doesn’t happen again today.”
Osaka was also asked about reports that 23-time major winner Serena Williams will come out of retirement to play doubles at Queen’s and return to Wimbledon, a tournament she has won seven times, next month.
“The opportunity, I think it will bring people to watch tennis, which he always brings with him,” Osaka said of the 44-year-old American.
“I think for me everyone knows Serena and Venus (Williams) were my role models growing up, so it will be great to see her back on the court.”
British interest ended after Boulter’s departure
British interest in singles at the French Open ended with Katie Boulter losing to Anastasia Potapova in the second round.
Boulter perhaps feared the worst when his match was moved from his original Court Six to Court 13, where Emma Radukanu, Cameron Norrie and Fran Jones had already lost.
The British No. 3 put up a good fight against 28th seed Potapova, one of the most in-form players on the WTA Tour, and won the first set.
But the Russian-turned-Austrian hit hard to claim a 5-7 6-4 6-2 victory and set up a third-round clash with defending champion Coco Goff.
Sabalenka, Gough Progress
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and defending champion Coco Gough both advanced to the last 32 with straight sets wins.
Sabalenka battled France’s Elsa Jacquemot in the first set to win 7-5, 6-2, and Goff Mayer beat Sheriff 6-3, 6-2.
Sixth seed Amanda Anisimova spent just 25 minutes on court, taking the first set 6-0 against Julia Graber before the ailing Austrian called it a day.
Watch the ATP and WTA tours on Sky Sports or live Stream with NOW And The Sky Sports appSky Sports is giving subscribers access to more than 50 per cent of live games at no extra cost this year. Learn more here.
