Naomi Osaka from Japan defeated another top player in her return from maternity leave, winning against ninth-seeded Ons Jabeur from Tunisia with scores of 6-3, 6-1 on Wednesday at the National Bank Open.
Osaka, a former No. 1 player, has now beaten a top-20 player for the fifth time since her return.
“Everyone knows I really love hard courts. I wasn’t thinking too much. It was very instinctual,” said Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion. “Honestly, when I play the best players, like Ons, I tend to play better.”
Osaka will next play against Elise Mertens from Belgium, who won 6-3, 6-1 against American Katie Volynets.
Paul Badosa, a former No. 2 player returning from a back injury, followed her title win in Washington with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Clara Tauson from Denmark.
The Spanish player will face fourth-seeded Jelena Ostapenko in the second round.
In the late match, third-seeded defending champion Jessica Pegula from the United States defeated Karolina Pliskova from the Czech Republic 7-5, 6-4 in the second round.
In another night match, 15th-seeded Leylah Fernandez from Canada won against Nao Hibino from Japan with scores of 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.
Marina Stakusic, a 19-year-old from Mississauga, won her first main-draw match in the event by beating Russia’s Erika Andreeva 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4.
