Lob and Smash
Fansided

US Open 2017: Naomi Osaka arrives with win over Angelique Kerber

By Maxwell Ogden

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 29: Naomi Osaka of Japan celebrates defeating Angelique Kerber of Germany in their first round Women's Singles match on Day Two of the 2017 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 29, 2017 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 29: Naomi Osaka of Japan celebrates defeating Angelique Kerber of Germany in their first round Women's Singles match on Day Two of the 2017 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 29, 2017 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Naomi Osaka has been flirting with greatness. She took a massive step towards it with her upset of Angelique Kerber at the 2017 US Open.

The 2017 US Open has already played home to a number of shocking upsets. Between world No. 2 Simona Halep falling to Maria Sharapova and Top 10 phenom Johanna Konta being upset by Aleksandra Krunic, the first round alone has been special.

The madness continued on Tuesday, August 29, when defending champion Angelique Kerber lost to one of the future stars of the WTA tour.

Kerber achieved the world No. 1 ranking in September of 2016, but has struggled to maintain that level of momentum. She won both the Australian Open and the US Open in 2016, but has failed to make it back to the quarterfinals at any of the four Grand Slam events in 2017.

Kerber’s misfortune continued when she ran into 19-year-old rising star and developing buzzsaw Naomi Osaka in the first round at the US Open.

https://twitter.com/usopen/status/902598231472967685

The victory over Kerber is Osaka’s first over a Top 10 player and, quite easily, the biggest win of her career.

Osaka not only upset Kerber, but she dominated the defending champion at this event. She secured a 6-3, 6-1 victory that bordered on brilliance, overcoming her 17 unforced errors with 22 winners to the nine hit by Kerber.

Osaka also converted four break points and won 63.2 percent of Kerber’s second serves—again, a sign of her dominance.

In turn, Osaka has earned a victory that could propel her into the next tier of WTA players.

Osaka entered the 2017 US Open as the No. 45 ranked player on the WTA Tour. She’s coming off of a run to the Round of 16 at the 2017 Rogers Cup, and a strong performance that led to a third round appearance at Wimbledon.

Osaka will now have a chance to build upon the success and motivation she’s achieved with this upset of the defending US Open champion.

Must Read: Sloane Stephens started the 2017 US Open in style

Naomi Osaka will move on in a draw that wouldn’t have her face another ranked player until the fourth round of the 2017 US Open.

Home/Tennis News