Former Indian Wells champion, Naomi Osaka was dealt a disappointing 6-4, 6-4 first-round loss to Camila Osorio on Wednesday in a rocky comeback for the four-time Grand Slam winner.
Osaka, who was playing her first match since she withdrew from the Australian Open because of an abdominal strain, could not match Osorio’s aggressive shot-making and made unforced error after unforced error under the California night sky. The 53rd-ranked player in the world began flawlessly, winning the first set decisively and then applying pressure on Osaka over the course of the match.
The Japanese star put up some resistance, saving a match point at 5-3 in the second set but Osorio overcame a bout of nerves when serving for the the match. Despite double-faulting twice and trailing 0-40, the Colombian steadied, saving four break points before winning with a forehand.
“I can’t believe this, this is a dream come true,” Osorio said in her on-court interview. “I was super excited to play a champion like Naomi.”
The victory means Osorio becomes the first Colombian woman to beat a former world No. 1 and moves on to play 22nd seed Clara Tauson in the second round. On the other hand, Osaka, the winner at Indian Wells in 2018, is still looking for her rhythm following her injuries.
