By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, January 20, 2020
Naomi Osaka launched her Australian Open title defense stifling stress and reeling off the final four games to stop Marie Bouzkova 6-2, 6-4.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Returning to Rod Laver Arena looking refreshed, Naomi Osaka soon had Australian Open staff doing some remodeling.
In the second game of the second set, Osaka blasted a serve that busted the net strap requiring a brief stoppage of play while officials fixed the damage.
More: 5 Takeaways From Serena Williams' AO Opening Win
The message the fourth-ranked Osaka sent in her 6-2, 6-4 victory over Marie Bouzkova to launch her Australian Open title defense was clear.
Buckle up.
Bidding to become the first woman since Victoria Azarenka in 2013 to defend Oz, Osaka was commanding in the opening set and committed in the second scoring her eighth straight Australian Open win in 80 minutes.
It was Osaka's 14th win in her last 15 matches since she bowed to Belinda Bencic in the US Open fourth round.
Our Top 5 Takeaways on Osaka’s AO opener.
1. Stifling Stress
Before launching her second straight Grand Slam title defense, Osaka conceded she was dwelling on defending the 2,000 ranking points she earned in her 2019 title run.
“I think I would drop out of the top 10 if I lost in the first round. That kind of weighs heavily on my mind, like, all the time like US Open and here,” Osaka said. “It's just like this constant, like, negative 2000 points is in my brain all the time.”
Down 2-4 in the second set, Osaka caught a forehand return a little late and benefited as the ball dropped in for winner. Bouzkova double faulted to hand back the break. That two-point sequence sparked Osaka on a four-game run to complete the sweep and conquer opening-round jitters.
“It was really tough for me, trying to control my nerves," Osaka said afterward. "I was really glad to finish it in two."
2. Statement Serve
Showing no signs of the shoulder pain she suffered last year, Osaka snapped stinging serves into all corners of the box.
The defending champion served 70 percent, pumped 7 aces and saved 5 of 6 break points. Osaka exudes easy power and did a good job accelerating through contact and snapping off her serve against the talented 21-year-old Bouzkova.
3. New Year, New Coach
Working with coach Wim Fissette, her third coach in the past 12 months, Osaka said she’s hoping to learn from the veteran’s experience and knowledge.
The third seed spread the court effectively today more than doubling Bouzkova’s winner output—29 to 12—and using the down the line drive at times to set up front-court closure. Osaka won seven of eight trips to net. Transition game and net play are two areas Fissette can help Osaka sharpen.
4. Moving On
Focusing on fitness in the offseason, Osaka looks fit, played fast and her footwork was sharp throughout the first set.
Improved fitness and leg strength was evident in longer shot tolerance. Rather than load up and try to strong-arm her way through points in the face of that second-set deficit, Osaka put shots together, created open space and ripped her forehand with vigor.
Accepting the challenge of the one-break deficit, Osaka showed active feet moving on.
"I think for me I understand that I don't have to play perfect in the first round," Osaka said afterward. "It's more about building your level up and getting comfortable with yourself. That's, like, one of the biggest things I have learned. Also, just like understanding that every match you play is probably going to be very difficult and being okay with that."
5. Trusting Trigger
The two-time champion showed why her two-shot combination—the twisting serve to set up her flat forehand is so damaging on hard court. The fourth-ranked Japanese played some brilliant short-angled forehands crosscourt sending Bouzkova running wide and drilled the flat forehand down the line.
It all helped Osaka improve to 14-3 lifetime in Melbourne.
Osaka trusted her aggressive shot-making instincts even when she got a bit tight falling behind in the second set. That's a good sign for her second-round clash with 41st-ranked Zheng Saisai, a 6-3, 6-2 victor in her opener.
"I think I played Saisai once a couple years ago, and she's a very tricky player," Osaka said. "She slices and drop shots from what I could see of her matches in the past. I think it will be probably a match where I have to dictate a lot and just stay consistent and be positive. Because there are going to be times where I do think I'll be frustrated."