Naomi Osaka advances in the Wuhan Open after an epic comeback
Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka showed her composure by coming back from a set down to defeat Leylah Fernandez at the Wuhan Open, a WTA 1000-level tournament. The final score was 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, securing her place in the next round.
This match marked Osaka’s return to Wuhan, a Chinese city where she hadn’t competed since 2017. On this occasion, she faced the player who defeated her at the 2021 US Open, in a match full of emotion and unexpected twists.
Fernandez, with a solid game, managed to secure a break point in the first set. However, Osaka intensified the pressure in the second set, achieving five service breaks and ultimately sealing the victory over the US Open 2021 finalist.
In other notable results, Sofia Kenin defeated Anastasia Zakharova with scores of 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3, securing her place in the second round where she will face Liudmila Samsonova, who previously beat Emiliana Arango.
World number 2, Iga Swiatek, was scheduled to make her debut at the Wuhan tournament in a second-round match against Marie Bouzkova.
Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one, and Coco Gauff, number 3, were scheduled to debut on Wednesday. On the other hand, Amanda Anisimova, who was runner-up at the US Open and Wimbledon this year, withdrew from the Wuhan Open due to a left calf muscle injury.
