Osaka’s return to French Open ends in first round

Japan’s Naomi Osaka returns the ball to US’ Amanda Anisimova during their women’s singles match on day two of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court Suzanne-Lenglen in Paris on May 23, 2022. (Photo by Christophe ARCHAMBAULT / AFP)

Naomi Osaka was knocked out of the French Open in the first round on Monday, 12 months after controversially quitting the tournament.

The error-plagued Japanese star was defeated 7-5, 6-4 by Amanda Anisimova of the United States, serving up eight double faults and committing 29 unforced errors.

Former world number one and four-time major winner Osaka withdrew from Roland Garros in 2021 when she refused to honour mandatory media commitments before revealing she had been suffering from depression.

Osaka was fined and threatened with a Grand Slam ban for her opposition to news conferences which she likened to “kicking people when they’re down”.

“It’s tough to see Naomi Osaka in the first round so I knew it wouldn’t be easy,” said 27th-seeded Anisimova.

“I knew I had to play my best tennis and the conditions were not easy.”

Japan’s Naomi Osaka reacts as she plays against US’ Amanda Anisimova during their women’s singles match on day two of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court Suzanne-Lenglen in Paris on May 23, 2022. (Photo by Christophe ARCHAMBAULT / AFP)

On a cold, damp day on Court Suzanne Lenglen, there were four breaks of serve in the first six games.

Osaka, who has never made it past the third round in Paris, led briefly for 5-4 but was broken for the third time in the 11th game on the back of her fourth double fault.

Anisimova, the 27th seed who ended Osaka’s Australian Open title defence in January, served it out to love as the Japanese star was left to rue her 17