appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

liveArticle

appConfig

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sectionsV2

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

json

Jonathan White

The 2019 Australian Open women’s singles champion Naomi Osaka began her 2021 tournament with a straight sets win over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at Melbourne Park.
Osaka, the third seed, appeared to show no sign of the “niggling injury” that saw her pull out of the warm-up Gipplsand Trophy semi-final on Friday.
She raced to a first set victory in just 33 minutes, sealing the 6-1 win by breaking the Russian world No 39’s serve after pouncing on an error.
Pavlyuchenkova began the second set brighter by eventually winning the opening game on her serve after holding off an Osaka break.

Dialed in.@naomiosaka takes the opening set 6-1 vs Pavlyuchenkova in 33 minutes.#AO2021 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/Ndgtb5UJ8o
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 8, 2021

The Russian’s resistance ended in her next service game as the Japanese world No 3 showed off her full repertoire of shots to break again and take a 2-1 lead.
Victory became routine after that dismissing concerns that last year’s US Open champion had a tough draw in Melbourne.
Naomi Osaka calls out Covid-19 ‘hate, racism and blame’ toward Asians
Pavlyuchenkova held service to make the score 3-2 and taking her deuce to the following game but the Russian’s resistance ended inside 35 minutes with Osaka serving for the match and taking the set 6-2.
Osaka said that she had been nervous going into the game.
“I was really nervous coming into this match and knew it was going to be tough,” she said on court after her win. “I’m just really happy to see people in the stands. It’s been really lonely in New York.”

The No.3 seed @naomiosaka moves on!

She defeats Pavlyuchenkova, 6-1, 6-2.#AO2021 pic.twitter.com/vyWGPOYaLD
— wta (@WTA) February 8, 2021

While the US Open was played without fans, a limited number are allowed in at Melbourne Park.
Osaka, who prepared for the Australian Open by calling out “hate, racism and blame” toward the Asian community over the Covid-19 pandemic, will face the winner of Slovenia’s Polona Hercog and France’s Caroline Garcia in the second round.


STYLE Edit: Richard Mille strikes new partnership with rising tennis star Sebastian Korda, who joins his sister World Golf champion Nelly Korda in the Swiss watchmaker’s pro athlete family

Djokovic, Johnson, Hong Kong’s ‘partygate’: why this is the year of #YouToo

Coronavirus: Novak Djokovic begins 3rd day in detention as Australia hits 100,000 cases for the first time

Vaccinated or unvaccinated? Novak Djokovic mystery deepens as stars arrive ahead of Australian Open

Australian Open 2021

Australian Open 2021: Naomi Osaka eases past Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in Melbourne

Naomi Osaka of Japan in action during her first round women's singles match against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia at the 2021 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. Photo: EPA

Naomi Osaka calls out Covid-19 ‘hate, racism and blame’ toward Asians

Japan's Naomi Osaka speaking at a press conference at Melbourne Park in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open. Photo: AFP

Naomi Osaka pulls out of Australian Open warm-up Gippsland Trophy

Japan's Naomi Osaka celebrates after winning her quarter final match against Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu. Photo: Reuters

China’s No 1 Wang Qiang crashes out of Australian Open warm-up Gippsland Trophy

China's Wang Qiang reacts during her loss to Italy's Jasmine Paolini at a tune-up tournament ahead of the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia. Photo: AP

Italy's Jasmine Paolini reacts during her match against China's Qiang Wang at a tuneup tournament ahead of the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Feb. 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

Naomi Osaka and Lewis Hamilton vow to carry on fight for social justice

Lewis Hamilton making a statement on the podium after winning the Tuscan Grand Prix in Italy on September 13. Photo AFP

FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2020, file photo, Naomi Osaka, of Japan, wears a protective mask due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak, featuring the name "George Floyd", while arriving on court to face Shelby Rogers, of the United States, during the quarterfinal round of the US Open tennis championships, in New York. Osaka's victory in the U.S. Open helped raised the issue of racial injustice in the United States. Before each of her matches, she wore a mask with the names of seven Black Americans who died as victims of violence.(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

US Open: Naomi Osaka pays tribute to Kobe Bryant – wants to ‘keep his legacy alive’

Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts after beating Victoria Azarenka to win the US Open. Photo: EPA

Sport

Tennis


Third seed and 2019 champion beats world No 39 in straight sets to brush off concerns of difficult draw and pre-match nerves
Japanese star showed no signs of injury that forced her out of the warm-up Gippsland Trophy tournament



Third seed beats world No 39 in straight sets to brush off concerns of difficult draw and injury that saw her pull out of warm-up Gippsland Trophy.


Naomi Osaka