DAY 3 of the Australian Open started with a bang with third seed and 2019 Open winner, Naomi Osaka taking on China’s Zheng Saisai. While Osaka predictably came out on top in straight sets, Saisai put Osaka through her paces to create a highly exciting and pressure-filled contest.

Osaka got off to a strong start with the opening serve, winning the first two games before she got in her own head, dropping the next two as Saisai proved she won’t just sit back quietly. While Osaka tends to lapse in her control on occasion, she did not let her own faults waste her opportunities at the net, craftily finding her confidence once more and getting out to a 4-2 lead. Osaka’s use of the court corners well and truly worked in her favour, forcing Saisai to lunge for the ball and sprint hard to get to it. Saisai, to her credit, was still a tough opposition with plenty in her and proved she has the game smarts to force issues for the young high-flier. Osaka eventually won the first set comfortably in 34 minutes, 6-2, though the score did not reflect the intensity of the opening few games of the match.

The first game of the second set started in a similar fashion, before Saisai found her form to win the next three games – though it didn’t come easy. Osaka seemed to miss her controlled demeanour in the second set, making uncharacteristic errors and losing her cool at times. Saisai delivered some impressive hits, making the most of Osaka’s lapse in concentration and staying cool, calm and collected to be in control for most of the second set. Osaka worked her way back into the second set however, finding purchase from a sloppy 2-4 start to even up the ledger at 4-4 after 74 minutes, edging ever closer to victory. A confident finish saw Osaka take control once more to finish, and while Saisai committed to every ball she just could not outlast the third seed, ultimately unable to compete once Osaka got back her mojo and going down in straight sets, 6-2 6-4.

Neither player hit an ace throughout, and while Osaka’s serve was stronger it was also less consistent on the first attempt, only converting 59 per cent of her first serve points but it was her second serve effort that was the real difference, collecting 50 per cent of her second serve points compared to Saisai’s inconsistent 29 per cent, only winning five of her 17 attempts.

Though Saisai comes out second best this time, her efforts pushed Osaka to an unruly 30 unforced errors, almost cracking the 22-year-old on a number of occasions. Despite the stats seemingly all in Osaka’s favour, Saisai’s consistency on court and ability to push Osaka to her limit in the second set prove she still has plenty to give.