Former world no.1 Naomi Osaka fell at the very first hurdle at the French Open.
No.27 seed Amanda Anisimova defeated Osaka 7-5, 6-4 in 1 hour and 30 minutes taking out the Japanese superstar at the second major tournament this year.
Anisimova had also beaten Osaka in the first grand slam this year after saving two match points before winning 4-6, 6-3, 7-6[5] in the third round.
The encore was not straightforward but nothing like the nailbiter at the Australian Open.
Although it was tightly contested all the way, Anisimova managed to keep herself in the lead for the most part.
The result continues Anisimova’s solid form over the past two months. She has yet to lose before the last eight of a clay-court tournament in 2022, having reached the semifinals in Charleston and quarterfinals in Madrid and Rome.
By contrast, Osaka exists the French Open and her clay season with a 1-2 record, having played only two tournaments after an ankle injury forced her to withdraw from Rome.
At the other end of the spectrum, the world no. 1 Iga Swiatek took her streak to 29 consecutive matches.
With a 6-2, 6-0 rout of Lesia Tsurenko, Swiatek moved to 38-3 this season.
The Pole is on a five-tournament win streak with the last player to beat her being former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko—back in mid-February.
Having won the French Open in 2020 it would not be a surprise to see her lift the trophy once again.
