Japan\u2019s tennis star feels \u201cpretty happy\u201d with her game heading into the high-pressure atmosphere in Flushing Meadows
\n NEW YORK
\nNaomi Osaka launches her bid for a third US Open title in four years on Monday, aiming to put turmoil behind her as she chases her second Grand Slam title of 2021.
\nOsaka, who rocketed to fame when she beat superstar Serena Williams in the 2018 US Open final, appeared set for a sparkling 2021 campaign after she beat American Jen Brady in the Australian Open final in February to capture her fourth major crown.
\nBut she has played sparingly since, pulling out of the French Open after she was fined for failing to meet mandatory media requirements.
\nOsaka, who said she believed post-match news conferences were detrimental to her mental health, opted out of Wimbledon as well, and after the magical moment of lighting the cauldron at the Tokyo Olympics bowed out in the third round.
\nAlthough she also lost in the third round at Cincinnati in August, Osaka said she was \u201cpretty happy\u201d with her game heading into the high-pressure atmosphere of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows.
\nAs she looked ahead to her Monday opener against Czech Marie Bouzkova Osaka said in a social media post that she wants to start to savor her accomplishments and let go of negative thoughts.
\n\u201cRecently I\u2019ve been asking myself why do I feel the way I do and I realize one of the reasons is because internally I think I\u2019m never good enough,\u201d she wrote. \u201cI never tell myself that I\u2019ve done a good job, but I do know I constantly tell myself that I suck or I could do better.
\n\u201cSeeing everything that\u2019s going on in the world I feel like if I wake up in the morning that\u2019s a win,\u201d Osaka wrote. \u201cYour life is your own and you shouldn\u2019t value yourself on other people\u2019s standards. I know I give my heart to everything I can and if that\u2019s not good enough for some then my apologies but I can\u2019t burden myself with those expectations anymore.\u201d
\nOsaka has already acknowledged that it will take some adjusting after last year\u2019s spectator ban to adjust to the return of fans to the 23,771-seat Arthur Ashe Stadium.
\nCrowds at the normally rowdy Open will be back at full capacity, although organizers announced last week that all attendees will be required to provide proof of having received at least one Covid-19 vaccination.
\nWith world number one Novak Djokovic waiting in the wings, second-ranked Daniil Medvedev closes out the action on Ashe on Monday against French veteran Richard Gasquet.
\nPlay opens with former women\u2019s champion Sloane Stephens taking on Madison Keys in an All-American clash.
\nThen former champion Andy Murray faces a daunting challenge as he continues his return from his latest injury as he goes up against third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece.
\n\u201cNot the easiest draw out there,\u201d Murray, whose 2012 US Open triumph was the first of his three Grand Slam victories, said.
\n\u201cWhen you\u2019re not seeded, these sorts of things can happen,\u201d Murray said, adding that he thought the New York crowd could help him.
\n\u201cThey like people that fight, give their all, show their heart and emotion and energy on the court,\u201d he said.
\nElsewhere on Monday, former world number one Victoria Azarenka — who fell to Osaka in last year\u2019s final — takes on Czech Tereza Martincova on Grandstand court.
\nAlso on Grandstand Simona Halep, who was forced out of her Wimbledon title defense with a calf injury, takes on Italian Camila Giorgi.
\nWomen\u2019s second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus faces Serb Nina Stojanovic to open the night session on Louis Armstrong court, where rising US star Coco Gauff anchors the day session and mercurial Australian Nick Kyrgios brings down the curtain against Spain\u2019s Roberto Bautista Agut.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Japan\u2019s tennis star feels \u201cpretty happy\u201d with her game heading into the high-pressure atmosphere in Flushing Meadows NEW YORK Naomi Osaka launches her bid for a third US Open title in four years on Monday, aiming to put turmoil behind her as she chases her second Grand Slam title of 2021. Osaka, who rocketed to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":212535,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-212526","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n