Another chapter in the quest for unprecedented Japanese Olympic gold at home in tennis was written this Sunday night, Monday morning in Japan. World number 2, Naomi Osaka rocked her second consecutive triumph and secured a spot in the round of 16 of the 2020 Olympics. In an intense pace from start to finish, the tennis player gave no chances to the Swiss Viktorija Golubic, number 50 in the world ranking, and justified her favoritism with a victory by 2 sets to 0, partial 6/3 and 6/ two.
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Naomi Osaka secured a spot in the last 16 of Tokyo 2020 — Photo: Getty Images
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This is Osaka’s second victory since making his first-round debut on the court. Until the Olympics, the last time she had entered the court for an official game was in May, when she decided to withdraw from the Roland Garros game after being fined for refusing to give press conferences for her mental health. At age 23, she even confirmed that she had lived with anxiety and depression since winning the 2018 US Open. Last week, she was also the protagonist of the opening ceremony by being chosen to light the Olympic pyre, which kicked off official for the Games.
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Just like on the debut, Osaka didn’t wait to show the Swiss opponent his business card, with an unappealable serve in the first moves. When Viktorija Golubic seemed to harden the dispute and approach the score, the Japanese tried to neutralize the game and already indicated that she wouldn’t give up so easily of her second victory playing at home. The first set ended 6-1 for the party hostess.
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In the second and decisive set, Osaka opened up even more and achieved favoritism on the Tokyo 2020 courts. Whether serving or breaking the Swiss service, the Japanese distributed aces, volleys, smashes and returns that succumbed to the rival’s strategy, yet avoided two match points, but it didn’t prevent the loss by 6-3.
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Naomi Osaka is a medal favorite in the women’s singles tennis tournament — Photo: Getty Images
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With the early elimination of the number 1 in the world, Ashleigh Barty, in the first round, the Japanese extends even more hope for the path towards the highest place on the podium in her country. Viktorija Golubic says goodbye to the Olympic Games in the women’s singles tournament, where he resisted and tried a longer path. In times of public suspension in Tokyo due to the pandemic, those who face Osaka in the Olympics certainly know that, in addition to competing, they are the ones who are closest to watching the exhibition of an Olympic medal favorite.
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