This archive report was first published on 6 January 2022.
Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka continued her Australian Open preparations with a convincing 6-1, 6-1 win over Belgium's Maryna Zanevska on January 6, 2022, at the Melbourne Summer Set tournament.
Osaka, the top-seeded player, broke her opponent twice in the first set and three times in the second, showcasing her strength in every department.
Her victory marked a strong return to the court after a hiatus following the US Open in September 2021, where she had pulled out of all tennis citing mental health issues.
Osaka had earlier withdrawn from the French Open and Wimbledon, but played in the Tokyo Olympics, where she suffered a shock third-round defeat to Czech Marketa Vondrousova.
After defeating Frenchwoman Alize Cornet in three sets in the first round, Osaka expressed her aim to enjoy herself on her return to the court, saying, 'I did get a lot of nerves out in the first match (against Cornet), but I was nervous again today, but just because I've never played her before, so it was a bit unfamiliar.'
Osaka's first serve percentage was a key factor in her success, and she was 'really happy with how that went today.'
