JAPANESE star Naomi Osaka has made a winning return to the WTA Tour in Melbourne, getting up in a tight three-set win over Frenchwoman Alize Cornet. It was the perfect start for Osaka, perhaps not the most dominant of performances, but she blew out the cobwebs and came away with the win. Cornet is a tough opponent and pushed Osaka all the way, before the world number 13 and four-time Grand Slam winner triumphed 6-4 3-6 6-3.

Statistically Osaka was poor on serve, with 38 per cent efficiency and eight double faults, but for the most part did not face a break point other than in the second set. Whilst Cornet strung together five consecutive games, Osaka steadied the ship, slamming home 51 winners to Cornet’s 34. Osaka will now take on Belgian Maryna Zanevska in the Round of 16 after the world number 82 defeated former Top 20 player Petra Martic in straight sets.

Here is how all the tennis action went down across the WTA and ATP Tours.

ADELAIDE INTERNATIONAL

WTA 500:

[4] Paula Badosa (ESP) vs. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) IN PROGRESS
[5] Iga Swiatek (POL) defeated Daria Saville (AUS) 6-3 6-3
[6] Sofia Kenin (USA) defeated [Q] Lucia Bronzetti (ITA) 7-5 7-5
Anastasia Gasanova (RUS) defeated [8] Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5-7 6-4 6-3
Coco Gauff (USA) defeated [Q] Ulrikke Eikeri (NOR) 6-2 6-1
Shelby Rogers (USA) defeated [Q] Maddison Inglis (AUS) 6-1 6-3
Misaki Doi (JPN) defeated Kristina Kucova (SVK) 6-3 3-6 6-1
Marie Bouzkova (CZE) defeated [Q] Despina Papamichail (GRE) 6-3 6-0

ATP 250:

[Q] Egor Gerasimov (BLR) defeated [5] Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 6-3 6-4
[6] Tommy Paul (USA) defeated Jiri Vesely (CZE) 6-4 4-6 6-4
Juan Manuel Cerundolo (ARG) defeated [WC] Alex Bolt (AUS) 6-2 6-4
[Q] Taro Daniel (JPN) defeated Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) 6-4 6-7 6-3
Corentin Moutet (FRA) defeated [Q] Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune (DEN) 7-6 6-4
Mikael Ymer (SWE) defeated Benjamin Bonzi (FRA) 7-5 7-5
[WC] Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) defeated John Millman (AUS) 6-4 6-3
Gianluca Mager (ITA) defeated [Q] Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) 6-4 3-6 6-4

MATCHES TO WATCH TOMORROW:

[1] Ash Barty (AUS) vs. Coco Gauff (USA)
[2] Aryna Sabalenka vs. Kaja Juvan (SVK)
[3] Maria Sakkari vs. Shelby Rogers (USA)
[4] Frances Tiafoe (USA) vs. [WC] Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS)

MELBOURNE SUMMER SET

WTA 250 (1):

[1] Naomi Osaka (JPN) defeated Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-4 3-6 6-3
Andrea Petkovic (GER) defeated [5] Liudmila Samsonova (RUS) 6-3 7-6
[6] Viktorija Golubic (SUI) defeated Lauren Davis (USA) 7-5 6-1
Ana Konjuh (CRO) defeated [7] Tereza Martincova (CZE) 6-4 6-4
Vera Zvonareva (RUS) defeated [9] Alison Riske (USA) 7-5 6-3
Maryna Zanevska (BEL) defeated Petra Martic (CRO) 6-3 6-4
Elena-Gabriela Ruse (ROU) defeated Arina Rodionova (AUS) 6-3 6-2
Kaia Kanepi (EST) defeated Jaqueline Cristian (ROU) 6-7 7-6 6-2

WTA 250 (2):

Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) defeated [1] Jessica Pegula (USA) 7-6 6-3
[4] Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) vs. Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) IN PROGRESS
[5] Sorana Cirstea (ROU) defeated Varvara Gracheva (RUS) 6-0 6-0
[6] Clara Tauson (AUT) defeated Anhelina Kalinina (UKR) 7-5 6-3
[7] Ann Li (USA) defeated Mayar Sherif (EGY) 6-2 6-0
Amanda Anisimova (USA) defeated Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) 7-6 1-6 7-5
Jasmine Paolini (ITA) defeated Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) 2-6 6-3 6-4
Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) defeated Caroline Garcia (FRA) 6-4 6-4

ATP 250:

[8] Mackenzie McDonald (USA) defeated Peter Gojowczyk (GER) 6-0 6-3
Facundo Bagnis (ARG) defeated [WC] Andy Murray (GBR) 6-3 5-7 6-3
Botic Van de Zandschulp (NED) defeated Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 6-3 5-7 6-3
Tallon Griekspoor (NED) defeated Dominik Koepfer (GER) 6-3 6-4

MATCHES TO WATCH TOMORROW:

[2] Simona Halep vs. [Q] Destanee Aiava (AUS)
Rebecca Peterson (SWE) vs. Astra Sharma (AUS)
[WC] Christopher O’Connell (AUS) vs. Jordan Thompson (AUS)
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) vs. Stefano Travaglia (ITA)