Tennis News: Zhang Shuai defeated Naomi Osaka 6-4, 7-5, forcing her to lose in the opening round of the Western & Southern Open.
Osaka, who had advanced to the Cincinnati 2020 final, lost in 75 minutes as Zhang tied their head-to-head record with three victories each.
Since beating Sloane Stephens in the first round of the 2020 Australian Open, Zhang had not lost to a major champion.
Osaka, a former world No. 1, served brilliantly by hitting 10 aces and only dropping 10 points after her opening shot.
However, Zhang, who is ranked 44th, took advantage of Osaka’s 29 unforced errors to win the match.
After falling behind 5-3 in the second set, Osaka briefly regained her composure and broke Zhang only once to even the score at 5-5.
At 5-5, Osaka’s backhand let her down, and when Zhang served for the match again, she made no mistakes, winning with a love hold that was completed by her fourth ace.
Venus Williams was easily defeated 7-5, 6-1 by the 14th seed and 2016 Cincinnati champion Karolina Pliskova, who advanced to the second round.
Pliskova defeated Williams in her third of four matches against her as they squared up for the first time in five years.
Sorana Cirstea of Romania defeated Belinda Bencic, the 12th seed, 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 in a match that lasted two hours and 38 minutes.
Elise Mertens of Belgium defeated Anhelina Kalinina of Ukraine 6-1, 6-1 to earn a second-round meeting with Pliskova.
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