Serena Williams tumbled out of the Miami Open on Wednesday after a straight sets defeat to Indian Wells champion Naomi Osaka.
The Japanese went all the way in last week’s BNP Paribas Open, defeating Maria Sharapova and world number one Simona Halep along the way, and she added Williams’ scalp in supreme style.
The 20-year-old was dominant from the off and clinched a 6-3 6-2 victory over the 23-time grand slam champion in 78 minutes.
Omg pic.twitter.com/D2K3H4ESAv
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@Naomi_Osaka_) March 21, 2018
Williams was playing in just her second event since returning to the tour after giving birth to her daughter last September.
Three-time Miami Open champion Victoria Azarenka, playing just her fourth event since the birth of her son, claimed a 6-3 6-0 win over American Cici Bellis.
Azarenka, the winner in 2009, 2011 and 2016, dispatched the 18-year-old in just over an hour.
Feeling Vik-torious!@vika7 nets on an impressive 6-3, 6-0 win in her #MiamiOpen return against CiCi Bellis. pic.twitter.com/tySuKBTqIA
— Miami Open (@MiamiOpen) March 21, 2018
Bethanie Mattek-Sands was beaten in her first competitive outing on the WTA Tour since a horror fall at Wimbledon last year.
The American had been sidelined since dislocating her right kneecap and rupturing a tendon when her leg buckled during her second round singles match against Sorana Cirstea at SW19 last July.
The 32-year-old doubles specialist was unable to make a winning return, having been given a wild card spot in Miami, as she went down to a 6-2 7-5 defeat to France’s Alize Cornet.
Nunca es fácil lidiar con una lesión. Le deseo a @AnisimovaAmanda una pronta recuperación.
Never easy to deal with injuries. Wishing @AnisimovaAmanda a quick recovery.@WTA @MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/5KGInoBeIi
— Garbiñe Muguruza (@GarbiMuguruza) March 21, 2018
Third seed Garbine Muguruza of Spain advanced to the third round after her opponent, 16-year-old American Amanda Anisimova, withdrew due to a foot injury.
Katie Boulter exited at the first hurdle in her maiden premier event appearance after suffering a 6-4 7-5 defeat to Taipei’s Hsieh Su-wei.
The 21-year-old beat Canada’s Carol Zhao in qualifying to move into the first round proper but could not handle the experience and drop shot of Hsieh.
Hsieh won both sets with a delicate drop shot, the first set perhaps fortuitously via a net cord.
However, reaching the first round will see Boulter climb into the top 200 next week.
