Osaka wins on first Wimbledon appearance since 2019

LONDON (Agencies): Naomi Osaka said it “feels like a dream” as she made a winning return on her first appearance at Wimbledon for five years.

The four-time Grand Slam champion came through 6-1 1-6 6-4 against Diane Parry on court two. Japan’s Osaka returned to the tour in 2024 after giving birth to her first child, daughter Shai, a year ago.

The 26-year-old, who is now ranked 113rd in the world, was injured in 2022 and also missed the 2021 tournament while taking time off to deal with mental health issues.

Competing as a wildcard, Osaka raced through the opening set in just 22 minutes, firing a series of winners past French 21-year-old Parry.

Her level dropped in the second set, though, as Parry quickly levelled and the world number 53 twice went a break up in the deciding set.

But Osaka, who has never been beyond the third round at SW19, fought back and three double faults in the final game from Parry proved her downfall.

“I’m really excited to be here and it’s funny, Wimbledon was the first tournament I watched after pregnancy and my daughter’s turning one tomorrow so, I’m really glad to still be here,” said Osaka.

“I wish I could say I enjoyed it all the time but my heart was racing a lot. But, you know, I feel like these are the type of matches that you kind of have to play just in order to ease into the tournament.”

Elsewhere, French Open runner-up Jasmine Paolini, ninth seed Maria Sakkari and Eastbourne champion Daria Kasatkina were among the early first-round winners.

Seventh seed Paolini, who lost to world number one Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros last month, had gone out in the first round on her three previous visits to SW19.

However, the 28-year-old Italian was a comfortable 7-5 6-3 winner over Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo. Sakkari defeated world number 119 McCartney Kessler of the United States 6-3 6-1 on court 12.

It was a welcome victory for the world number nine from Greece, who had been knocked out in the first round on five of her six previous Grand Slam singles appearances.

The 28-year-old said: “I’ve been struggling a little bit in Grand Slams in the last couple of tournaments, you know, with first-round losses. So that was in my mind.

“But I feel like today I was brave and strong enough to just overcome that fear.”

Russian 14th seed Kasatkina dropped only three games in a 6-3 6-0 win over Zhang Shuai of China and could face Lily Miyazaki in the second round, if the British player beats world number 73 Tamara Korpatsch of Germany later on Monday.

US Open champion Coco Gauff is scheduled to play third on Centre Court against fellow American Caroline Dolehide, but third seed Aryna Sabalenka – who was also due to play on Monday – has pulled out of the tournament with a shoulder injury.