Serena Williams Eliminated from Miami Open in First Round

Serena Williams has only faced first round elimination four times in her celebrated tennis career but her 6-3, 6-2 loss to Naomi Osaka made it five. After sending her worst shot of the day over the net, Williams laughed at her dismal performance of the day.

Williams is struggling after returning from her pregnancy leave and Osaka proved to be too much for the star player to handle. Playing the final point, Williams rushed to the net to attack only to send the ball well past the baseline. After the match, Williams left the court without talking to the media.

Osaka secured her first title last Sunday playing at Indian Wells, and at 20 years old, was feeling the jitters playing Serena Williams, who the player claimed is her idol. Her goal in yesterday’s match was not to lose 6-0, 6-0.

Speaking about Williams, Osaka said,

“She’s the main reason I started playing tennis. I just wanted her after the match to know who I am.”

That goal was accomplished and then some, and when asked what Serena said as they shook hands after Osaka won, Osaka said,

“She said ‘good job’ and stuff. I kind of blanked out, but I’m pretty good she said ‘good job.”

For Osaka, who is both Japanese and American and lives in Fort Lauderdale, last week’s win increased her profile, and yesterday’s win against Williams shows she is well on her way to making her mark in the world of tennis. As both Williams and Osaka entered the tournament unseeded, it allowed the match to fall into place. Williams is currently ranked 491st after being away more than a year, and Osaka is 22nd.

WTA

In her professional tennis career, Serena Williams has only been defeated four times in the first round. The most recent of those came at the 2012 French Open. When you consider Williams has won the Miami Open eight times, it is also one she considers to be her hometown tournament.

This is the last year for the Miami Open to be held at Key Biscayne as next year it is being moved to the Miami Dolphins’ stadium. Williams was on hand to help with groundbreaking ceremonies earlier in the week.

As Williams is currently unranked, she entered the tournament as a wildcard, and based on her performance on the court; she fit that bill perfectly. Serena failed to win the first five points of the match, and she failed to improve as the game progressed.

This was only her fourth match after returning to tennis. She was slow in reacting to corner balls, late with her swing and miss almost half of her first serves. In the second set the frustration showed with Williams screaming “Come on”, but unfortunately, she was unable to turn the match around.

For Osaka, she was a bit pleased she got that kind of reaction from Serena saying,

“Sometimes she plays matches where she doesn’t say ‘Come on!’ at all. That’s a little bit sad, because it’s like, ‘Do you think she’s trying?’ So I just wanted her say ‘Come on!’ once. I knew then maybe she would be trying a little bit.”

While Williams tried to win matches, she just couldn’t seem to get her rhythm scrambling to reach the ball, making awkward volleys and watching hopelessly as Osaka won point after point. Williams was unable to break Osaka’s 116 mph serve, and the match ended with Osaka serving three aces.

Commenting on her win against her idol, Osaka said,

“Sometimes when I’m in a really hard position when I’m serving, I’m like, ‘What would Serena do?”’

This seemed the right plan of attack for the young player. She next faces 4th seeded Elina Svitolina. Tennis sports betting sites will have certainly paid attention to Osaka’s performance against Williams as she is 14-4 so far this year. Whether odds will favour her to progress in the tournament will be seen, but clearly heads were turned.