Two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka bundled out in first round

Japanese star Naomi Osaka has been bundled out of the US Open after suffering a straight sets loss to hometown hero Danielle Collins.

Japan's Naomi Osaka. Photo by COREY SIPKIN / AFP

Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka has been bundled out of the US Open after suffering a straight sets loss to hometown hero Danielle Collins in the first round at Flushing Meadows.

The two-time US Open champion was far from her best at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday AEST, losing to No. 19 seed Collins for the first time in her career.

The Australian Open finalist came back from a break down in both sets to register a 7-6 6-3 victory and book her place in the second round, where she will face Spain’s Cristina Bucsa.

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Osaka, 24, will finish the calendar year without winning a grand slam singles title for the first time since 2017.

Osaka, whose ranking has fallen to No. 44 after an inconsistent year, made a smooth start with an early break to take a 3-0 lead, but Collins battled back into the match and took the first set after winning a hard-fought tie-break.

With both players producing some booming groundstrokes, the second set was a question of who would blink first.

Collins, who recently recovered from a neck injury, put herself on the threshold of victory after breaking Osaka for a 5-3 lead in the eighth game.

The four-time major winner came within touching distance of securing the break of serve needed to keep the match alive after taking a 15-40 lead in the ninth game, but Collins rallied back to deuce and then seized victory on her first match point when Osaka hit a return long.

The unseeded Osaka, who finished with 25 winners to 19 unforced errors, has now lost four consecutive matches while Collins snapped a three-match losing streak.

Osaka, a winner at Flushing Meadows in 2018 and 2020, struck eight aces and zero double faults, but only won 23 per cent of points from her second serve.
The former world No. 1 has won just twice on tour since April.

Japan's Naomi Osaka. Photo by COREY SIPKIN / AFP

“When you lose to someone three times you get a lot of information on what you can do better,” Collins said.

“With Naomi being the player that she is, she definitely whooped me the last time. I just had to learn from that and make adjustments and I think I did that.”

Despite the disappointing outcome, Osaka received praise for signing autographs and taking photos with spectators after the match.

Danielle Collins is into Round 2 of the #USOpenpic.twitter.com/rUZa0hWKHx

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 31, 2022

Yeah, Osaka lost that for herself.

— Alec Sturm (@Alec_Sturm) August 31, 2022

Got Osaka out in straight sets. Sheesh. #USOpen

— Rafael V. DeLeón (@RafaelVDeLeon) August 31, 2022

Osaka joins a lengthy list of tennis icons to crash out of the US Open in the first round, headlined by two-time grand slam champion Simona Halep.

Defending US Open champion Emma Raducanu lost her contest against France’s Alize Cornet in straight sets, while reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina lost to unseeded qualifier Clara Burel.

Earlier on Tuesday, American legend Serena Williams claimed a 6-3 6-4 win over World No. 80 Danka Kovinic to ensure her incredible career goes for another match.

— with AFP