MELBOURNE – World number three Naomi Osaka made light work of France’s Alize Cornet on Tuesday in the Japanese star’s first competitive match since winning the US Open for a second time.
The three-time Grand Slam champion hit 22 winners to move into the third round of the Gippsland Trophy with a 6-2, 6-2 victory in Melbourne.
“I was really nervous coming here,” said Osaka, who won the Australian Open in 2019.
“The last match I played was in New York and I wanted to continue the momentum.”
It was an impressive performance from Osaka, who had few problems against Cornet in her first encounter with the French veteran.
Osaka plays Katie Boulter in the next round after the British woman knocked out teenage…
