It is at least striking that Naomi Osaka, a player with four Grand Slams to her credit and more than 250 wins as a professional, has a record of 35-30 on a specific surface. Clay court has never been the specialty of the Japanese, 26 years old and 197th in the WTA ranking, who in recent months has resorted to an unusual measure: she has started working alongside Simone Elliott, a former dancer ballet that tries to improve Osaka’s movement on the track. Despite this, Naomi said goodbye to the Mutua Madrid Open in the second round after falling to Russian Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.
“It helps me with my range of motion, to be more fluid. I think I’m better than the rest. I feel like I’m doing many things better, although the results are not great. It’s difficult to focus on progress when I keep losing in the second or third round,” explained an Osaka in the mixed zone who claimed to have felt “good, although obviously sad because I lost.” There are two defeats and only one victory on the current clay court tour for the Japanese, who always gets stuck on clay (53% wins on this surface).
Sliding correctly is Osaka’s great pending task on dirt, and hence the presence of Elliott. Although the Japanese assures that there are more things to focus on. “I think if it comes as something natural, so be it. If a ball goes far, obviously I’m going to slide. But honestly it’s not that part for me. It’s more the touch, I feel like I’m reaching the balls, but I’m not placing them well.” 2019 is far away for Naomi, when she reached the quarterfinals at the Caja Mágica, her highest in the event. Samsonova, 25 years old and 17th in the ranking, who had lost four in a row, extinguished Osaka’s comeback attempt, which ended up falling in a tied third set. The Russian’s next rival will be the North American Madison Keys, 18th favorite, who got rid of the Romanian Irina Camila Begu 7-6 (3) and 7-6 (3).
The third day of the WTA draw, the first with the seeds in contention, also had the world number one, the Polish Iga Swiatek, as a great attraction. With Madrid being one of the few important tournaments she has left to win, Swiatek easily beat the Chinese Xiyu Wang, 52nd in the ranking, 6-1 and 6-4 in 1h18. In the third round, Romanian Sorana Cirstea, 30th favorite, awaits her, who beat Filipino Eala in two sets. Maria Sakkari, for her part, did not suffer anything to get rid of the Croatian Donna Vekic (6-3 and 6-2). The next stop for the Greek, sixth in the world, will be the North American Sloane Stephens, executioner of the Belgian Elise Mertens, 28th seed, in three sets.
The big beating of the day was scored by the American Coco Gauff, third favorite, who passed over the Dutch Arantxa Rus, 47th, with a tremendous 6-0 and 6-0 in just 52 minutes. The young North American was tremendously effective, with six of seven break points won, and she agreed in a big way to a third round in which she awaits the Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska. It was more complicated for Tunisian Ons Jabeur, ninth favorite and champion two editions ago. Jabeur, with Fernando Verdasco in her box acting as coach, needed a third set to get rid of the Slovakian Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (6-4, 5-7 and 6-3), and her next rival will be the Canadian Leylah Fernandez.
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2024-04-25 19:30:58
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