By Simon Jennings
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Naomi Osaka turned the clock back to her championship days on Tuesday, dismantling Belgium’s Greet Minnen 6-3 6-4 with ruthless efficiency to storm into the U.S. Open second round at Flushing Meadows.
The twice U.S. Open champion made it look almost easy, sending down seven thunderous aces and managing a perfect six-for-six conversion rate on her own break chances.
Minnen, ranked 106th, had her moments of defiance, briefly leading 4-3 in the second set before reality came crashing down.
Her 30 unforced errors and a woeful 49% first-serve percentage told the story of a player overwhelmed by Osaka’s baseline barrage.
The Japanese star was clinical where it mattered, landing 58% of her first serves and winning 68% of those points.
Now 27 and juggling motherhood with her comeback from maternity leave, Osaka finished with 20 winners against 24 unforced errors.
Her confidence, boosted by reaching the Canadian Open final earlier this month, was evident in every crisp baseline strike.
Next up will be American Hailey Baptiste, but Osaka’s sights are set much higher.
She would love to become the first mother to capture a Grand Slam singles title since Kim Clijsters conquered Melbourne in 2011.
Based on Tuesday’s commanding display of poise, power and precision, that dream might have just moved a step closer to becoming a reality.
(Reporting by Simon Jennings in New York; Editing by Sonali Paul)
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