LONDON (Reuters) – Former world number one Naomi Osaka navigated a tricky first round match against France’s Diane Parry at Wimbledon on Monday, eventually winning 6-1 1-6 6-4 with the help of some nervous serving from her opponent.
The 26-year-old Japanese, who entered the draw as a wildcard, looked to be in total command in the first set, her hefty groundstrokes hitting the lines and her big serve forcing Parry on to the back foot.
But Osaka, who returned to the tour this year after 15 months of maternity leave for her daughter who turns one on Tuesday, appeared to lose concentration and rhythm in the second set and 21-year-old Parry, ranked 53, took advantage.
“I wish I could say I enjoyed (the match) all the time,” Osaka, who has won both the U.S. and Australian Opens twice, said in an interview on court. “My heart was racing.”
The match see-sawed into the third set with the players trading breaks at the start.
Osaka, who was playing at Wimbledon for the first time for five years, saved break points in a difficult ninth game to lead 5-4 before Parry’s serve crumbled and she produced three double faults to concede the match.
“I feel like these are the type of matches that you kind of have to play just in order to ease into the tournament,” Osaka said after thanking the crowd for getting behind her.
(Reporting by Clare Lovell; Editing by Alison Williams)
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