A very small turn and then goes away. Naomi Osaka only spent 94 minutes at Roland-Garros. The Japanese, former world number 1, fell from the start in front of the American Amanda Anisimova (n°27). On the Suzanne-Lenglen court, before the rain arrived for the first match of the day, Osaka was even sent back to her demons by losing the match in straight sets 7/5, 6/4. The American is becoming the pet peeve of the Japanese: at the Australian Open a few months ago, Anisimova had already taken over.
Despite her status as the former best player in the world, Naomi Osaka had no special protection at the start of this Roland-Garros 2022. She fell on heavy entry. Blame it on his new classification. Osaka arrived in Paris with the place of world number 38 which guaranteed nothing to her. Suffering from an Achilles tendon which had deprived her of the Rome tournament and had precipitated her elimination in Madrid, the Japanese did try to overthrow the hierarchy in the first round, which was very tight. But by winning, Anisimova, semi-finalist here in 2019, had done the hardest part. She confirmed in the second set not to drag on the court for long. “With my injuries, I have to manage myself, confided the Japanese before the match. I take painkillers and I go. It’s not that bad to be in pain. You know, I often played Grand Slams under medication. A lot of times that hasn’t stopped me from playing well because in those cases I have nothing to lose. And there at Roland-Garros, I have nothing to lose. »
For Osaka, the Parisian curse continues. The Japanese has never passed the third lap Porte d’Auteuil. And it is unlikely that this entrance defeat will reconcile her to a place where, a year ago, she had exposed her depression, leaving the tournament with a loss and a crash.