Naomi Osaka triumphs over Jelena Ostapenko on US Open comeback
Naomi Osaka, the tennis star from Japan, returned to the US Open on August 27 with an emphatic win. She secured a 6-3, 6-2 win over 10th seed Jelena Ostapenko at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in just over an hour. This marked the former's first appearance at Flushing Meadows since taking maternity leave in 2023. The match was a rare face-off between two former Grand Slam champions.
A look at match stats
Osaka won a total of 61 points and 19 winners throughout the match. She served nine aces compared to Ostapenko's five. The Japanese star had a win percentage of 80 and 75 in the first and second serves, respectively. She won 22 of his 50 receiving points. Ostapenko recorded as many as 25 unforced errors and six double-faults.
Osaka's striking return and emotional victory
Osaka's return was not only marked by her victory but also by her eye-catching green outfit. The match, which lasted just over an hour, saw Ostapenko fail to convert two break point chances at 2-5, 40-15 in the second set. After the match, an emotional Osaka expressed how much she had missed playing on these courts and how meaningful this win was for her.
Back to tennis after maternity break
Osaka resumed her tennis career late last year, following a 15-month maternity leave. She had given birth to her daughter Shai. Her initial performances were marked by early exits at several major tournaments, including the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
