Push Admin

Tennis: Osaka loses at Australian Open on Grand Slam comeback

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts to her first round loss to Caroline Garcia of France on Day 2 of the 2024 Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, January 15, 2024. Joel Carrett, EPA-EFE." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2024/sports/01/15/01152024_tennis_ao-naomi-osaka_epa.jpg"/><figcaption>Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts to her first round loss to Caroline Garcia of France on Day 2 of the 2024 Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, January 15, 2024. <em>Joel Carrett, EPA-EFE.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MELBOURNE, Australia -- Naomi Osaka fell at the first hurdle in her Grand Slam comeback on Monday, losing 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) to Caroline Garcia in the first round of the Australian Open.</p><p>A single break proved enough for the French 16th seed to win the opening set against her rusty opponent and she dominated the second set tie-break to progress in Melbourne.</p><p>Japanese star Osaka, who has won four Grand Slams, stepped away from tennis in September 2022, citing mental health concerns.</p><p>After giving birth to a baby girl, Shai, in July, she decided to return for the 2024 season.</p><p>Garcia paid respect to her defeated opponent after victory under the lights on Rod Laver Arena.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/15/24/tennis-gauff-powers-through-at-australian-open">Medvedev, Gauff power through at Australian Open ahead of Osaka comeback</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/04/24/tennis-osaka-comeback-ended-by-big-serving-pliskova">Tennis: &#x27;Super disappointed&#x27; Osaka comeback ended by big-serving Pliskova</a></li></ul><p>&quot;I have a lot of respect for Naomi as a person and as a player,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;She&#x27;s been through a lot, but I&#x27;m just very glad to see her back and I hope she can enjoy the tennis now and have fun out there. She&#x27;s a great girl.</p><p>&quot;I mean, six months after giving birth she is playing quite amazing already, so we have to watch out.&quot;</p><p>Osaka&#x27;s only competitive tennis before the Australian Open came at this month&#x27;s Brisbane International, where she lost in the second round to Karolina Pliskova.</p><p>The two-time Australian Open champion went toe-to-toe with her French opponent at the start of the match.</p><p>But she double-faulted in the fifth game to hand Garcia a break point and then dumped a forehand into the net to surrender her serve.</p><p>The 26-year-old, who has tumbled to 831st in the world rankings, dug deep in her next service game to stay fighting in the set.</p><p>But the single break ultimately proved enough for Garcia.</p><p>Both players were solid on serve in the second set, with neither able to force the crucial breakthrough so it went to a tie-break.</p><p>Osaka faltered on her serve to slip to 3-2 and Garcia won all of the remaining points to seal the match, leaping for joy.</p><p>&quot;I play tennis for this type of match,&quot; she said. &quot;It was my first time at a Slam playing the second match in the evening after so many years on tour so I was excited by it.</p><p>&quot;It will be a memory I will remember for many years. So win or lose, I wanted to have fun and experience it to the maximum.&quot;</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/01/24/osaka-wins-comeback-match-at-brisbane-international">Tennis: &#x27;Super nervous&#x27; Osaka wins comeback match at Brisbane International</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/28/23/nadal-osaka-in-australia-comebacks-as-djokovic-targets-more-glory">Nadal, Osaka in Australia comebacks as Djokovic targets more glory</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2930896" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>