Osaka makes victory against Stephens in Indian Wells

Osaka makes victory against Stephens in Indian Wells. 

INDIAN WELLS: Naomi Osaka won a 3-6 6-1 6-2 first-round match at Indian Wells on Thursday, overcoming windy conditions and an in-form Sloane Stephens.

In her first encounter since January, Osaka battled in the opening set against former U.S. Open champions despite strong winds.

After a shaky first set, Osaka flipped the switch in the second, jumping out to a 4-0 lead as her serve and defense improved dramatically.

Osaka pounced on a short ball from Stephens, hitting the line with a driving backhand volley to tie the match at one set apiece.

Stephens, who won a title in Guadalajara last month, led 2-0 in the third set and had break point opportunities for 3-0 but couldn’t convert.

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That proved crucial as Osaka gained control of the match in the final six games, winning for the first time in her career over the American when her forehand failed to clear the net on match point.

In an on-court interview on the Stadium Court, Osaka remarked, “I haven’t played in the wind in a long time, so this was quite strange to me.”

“It seemed as though I were fighting for my life.” I was up against her, and I was up against the wind. It was insane.

“However, I kept thinking that she was in the same situation as me, so all I had to do was force myself to try as hard as I could.”

The four-time Grand Slam winner’s ranking has dropped to 78, heading into the competition after taking a tennis hiatus after last year’s U.S. Open to focus on her mental health.

She said she had a new perspective on tennis and was “at peace with myself” before she won in 2018.