There were never any questions about Naomi Osaka’s potential on the tennis court when she took a two-month mental health break.
Especially on hard courts — the surface being used at the Tokyo Olympics and the surface on which Osaka has won all four of her Grand Slam titles.
The Japanese superstar crushed winners off both wings — forehand and backhand — seemingly at will in a 6-3, 6-2 win over 49th-ranked Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland on Monday to reach the last 16 at the Ariake Tennis Park.
It was similar to the way Osaka overwhelmed Zheng Saisai of China a day earlier and it extended her momentum after carrying out the ultimate honor at the Games’ opening ceremony by lighting the Olympic cauldron.
Osaka was asked in March to handle the cauldron honors but said she “didn’t feel pressure” about the assignment.
“I felt more excitement,” Osaka said. “It was like a sense of duty, like something I wanted to accomplish.
“It’s something that you see as a kid on TV. You gather around the TV with your family at the Olympics and you watch the whole ceremony,” Osaka added. “I know my grandparents were probably crying and my mom of course.”
Two more wins and Osaka will be in line for more honors in her Olympic debut — a medal.
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