Naomi Osaka starts clay season off in style with an easy straight sets win over Anastasia Potapova at the Madrid Open

Naomi Osaka is through to the second round of the Madrid Open with an emphatic 6-3 6-1 win over qualifier Anastasia Potapova. The four-time Grand Slam champion, who is competing in her first clay-court tournament of the season and entered the Madrid Open as a wild card, was fully locked in against her Russian opponent who made 20 unforced errors and struggled on her first serve; she had little trouble dispatching the 21-year-old in 61 minutes. Ad/> Osaka will play either French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo — who beat Osaka on clay at the Billie Jean Cup in 2020 — next.

ATP MadridMurray hits back at suggestions he should reject Madrid Open wildcard21/04/2022 AT 12:53 «I wouldn't say it was an easy match,» Osaka, who was all smiles out on court, said afterwards. «I would say I just adjusted a little bit but it's really good to be playing on clay again. »Honestly I'm trying not to think about the next match.

I'm just going to look at the things I did right and improve on that." How to peak in Paris? Nadal and Swiatek plot different courses to French Open Azarenka calls for WTA 'reaction' to Wimbledon ban on Russians, Belarusians A loose Osaka backhand into the net handed Potapova the first break of the match in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. But Osaka fought back instantly, reeling off four points in a row to get the first set back on serve. A double fault handed Osaka a break point at 4-3 up and she took it with a strong service return, forcing Potapova to hit into the net to move within a game of the first set.