INDIAN WELLS: Former champion Naomi Osaka was sent packing from Indian Wells after a 6-4 6-4 first-round defeat by Colombia’s Camila Osorio on Wednesday.
The Japanese four-time Grand Slam champion never looked comfortable against Osorio’s dynamic shotmaking and piled up the unforced errors on a cool evening in the California desert.
After a near flawless first set from Osorio, Osaka fended off a match point at 5-3 in the second to stay alive, much to the delight of the fans.
Nerves appeared to get to Osorio as she attempted to serve out the match in the next game, where she double faulted twice and fell behind 0-40.
She regrouped, however, saving four break points in the game and crushing a forehand winner that caught the line to advance, celebrating with a dance on the court under the lights.
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“First, good evening everyone, I’m Camila Osorio,” she said with a laugh in an on-court interview.
“It’s crazy for me, it’s a dream come true. I really wanted to play on this court and was really excited and looking forwards to playing a champion like Naomi, so I can’t believe it.”
World number 53 Osorio becomes the first Colombian woman to beat a former world number one. She takes on 22nd seed Clara Tauson of Denmark in the second round.
It was Osaka’s first match since withdrawing from the Australian Open third round due to an abdominal strain.
Osaka, who beat Daria Kasatkina in the Indian Wells final in 2018 for her first career title, appeared to struggle with the consistency of her ball tosses and accuracy off both wings.
Kvitova Out
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova also made an early exit, losing 4-6 6-3 6-4 to France’s Varvara Gracheva.
The loss leaves Kvitova searching for her first win since returning to the tour following the birth of her first child last July. She also lost in the first round in Austin last week in her first tournament following a 16-month absence.
The Czech grabbed the first set as both players struggled to control their serve but Gracheva settled in to level the match before jumping out to a 3-1 lead in the decider.
Kvitova won three straight games to take a 4-3 lead but Gracheva took control from there, dominating the final three games to dispatch the tournament wildcard and set up a meeting with Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.
Gracheva said she wanted to congratulate Kvitova for juggling the demands of motherhood and being a professional athlete.
“Because she had a child quite recently and I’m so happy that she now has the role of a mother and a tennis player, which is very demanding,” she added.
“It’s very inspiring for sports, athletes, women - it’s just amazing. Petra, my admiration to you - you’re the best.”
Gracheva’s fellow Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia also advanced to the second round with a 6-3 6-4 win over American Bernarda Pera and will next play defending champion Iga Swiatek.
Belarusian Victoria Azarenka battled past American Clervie Ngounoue 6-4 7-6(7) to get her campaign for a third Indian Wells crown off to a winning start.
On the men’s side, Kei Nishikori emerged the victor in a rollercoaster match with Spain’s Jaume Munar to advance 6-2 5-7 7-6(3). The Japanese player will face 18th seeded Frenchman Ugo Humbert in the second round.
Britain’s Cam Norrie thrashed Italy’s Luca Nardi 6-0 6-3 in the evening to set up a second round meeting with Czech 23rd seed Jiri Lehecka.
American qualifier Colton Smith celebrated his 22nd birthday with his first ATP Tour main draw win, beating Flavio Cobolli 3-6 6-2 6-2.
Smith converted seven of his nine break point opportunities and was serenaded with “Happy Birthday” from the fans after downing the Italian.
American Marcos Giron, Russian Roman Safiullin and Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands were among the other players who advanced to the second round of the Masters 1000 event.
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