Tennis: Osaka beats Siniakova to reach 3rd round at Wimbledon
The four-time Grand Slam winner, currently ranked 53rd, showed accuracy and composure during the 1-hour, 17-minute encounter, while her 81st-ranked opponent hit eight double faults to Osaka's one and 37 unforced errors against 25.
"I played her before in the French Open a couple of years ago (in 2019) and she beat me then, so I knew she was really difficult to play," said Osaka after improving to 2-1 against Siniakova head-to-head.
"I just tried to have a really positive attitude and not let anything bother me, so I'm glad that worked. I think for me, it makes a lot of difference. I'm someone that operates pretty well if I'm very calm, so I like to keep it pretty neutral."
Having marked the second birthday of her daughter Shai with the victory, Osaka was looking forward to going past the third round at Wimbledon for the first time after she went out at that stage in 2017 and 2018.
"Definitely playing the whole two weeks would be the dream," she said. "I didn't do as well as I wanted to in the past grass tournaments that I did play, but I feel pretty comfortable now. So I'm really excited to hopefully go a little bit further."
In the men's singles, 2019 Wimbledon junior champion Shintaro Mochizuki pushed world No. 20 Karen Khachanov to the brink but was edged by the Russian 1-6, 7-6(7), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
A day after his first win at a Grand Slam, the 22-year-old Mochizuki, 144th in the world, stormed to win the first set before Khachanov fought his way back into the match, with his break in the first game of the fifth set proving crucial in a 3-hour, 39-minute battle.
"I've given everything. I really came close," said Mochizuki, who struggled with his first serves but hit 60 winners to Khachanov's 47. "I had some chances in the fourth and fifth sets too. I just have to move on to the next tournament."
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