Naomi Osaka returns with first round win in San Jose

Naomi Osaka beats Qinwen Zheng in three sets in her first match since going out in the opening round of Roland-Garros

Naomi Osaka at the 2022 Miami Open Image Credit: Zuma / Panoramic

August 3, 2022

Japan’s Naomi Osaka returned to the tour for the first time since her opening round loss at the French Open and needed three sets to reach the second round of the San Jose Open at San Jose State University Tennis Center on Tuesday evening.

The former world No 1 pulled out of the grass court season due to an Achilles injury which meant Tuesday’s match was her first since May 23.

After splitting the first two sets against her 19-year-old Chinese opponent Qinwen Zheng, Naomi Osaka, who has won all her four Grand Slams on hardcourts, finished on a strong note to win 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 in two hours and three minutes.

Level 🆙

🇯🇵 @naomiosaka gets the win in a tricky opening match against Zheng, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1!#MubadalaSVC pic.twitter.com/2H9pTf6ibo
— wta (@WTA) August 3, 2022

This is the first tournament for the 24-year-old with her father back as her coach after parting ways amicably with Wim Fisette with whom she worked with for two and a half years.

Now ranked No 41 in the world, Osaka will play the winner of the match between American Coco Gauff, the No 6 seed, and Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina in the second round.

San Jose WTA 500, first-round matches (San Jose State University Tennis Center, hard, USD 757.900)