Osaka, who needed a wildcard to get into the tournament, thrilled a near capacity crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium by easily dispensing 10th-ranked Jelena Ostapenko, 6-3, 6-2, in a match that lasted barely over an hour. The win was Osaka's first over a top 10 opponent in more than four years.
Osaka was once the highest paid women's athlete in the world, having won the U.S. Open in 2018 and 2020 and the Australian Open in 2018 and 2021. The last couple of years she has taken time off - first for mental health breaks and then for the birth of her daughter.
Despite her struggle this year, she felt that she might be able to make something happen in Queens. 'I'm here, it's the end of the year but I told myself I would make my last stand, if I could, in the U.S. Open and the Asian swing,' Osaka said after the match.
The 26-year-old then continued crying into a towel on the sidelines as the crowd gave her a standing ovation. Osaka was overcome by emotion after her victory, marking a significant comeback for her.
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