Djoko, Osaka power on

World No. 1 edges closer to Golden Slam with 6-4, 6-3 win over Germany’s Struff in second round, while Japanese star cruises past Swiss Viktorija Golubic 6-3, 6-2

Novak Djokovic strolled into the third round of the Tokyo Olympics tennis tournament on Monday as Japanese star Naomi Osaka’s path to gold opened up further after a host of leading women’s seeds exited. 

Djokovic smacked 14 aces in a 6-4, 6-3 win over Germany’s 48th-ranked Jan-Lennard Struff and will play Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina for a place in the 
quarter-finals. 

The World No. 1 had led calls for organisers to push back start times to avoid the worst of the punishing heat after blazing sunshine brought the extreme weather policy into play in Round One. But a gentle breeze and slightly overcast skies at Ariake Tennis Park made for less brutal conditions on the third day of the Games. “I was struggling with certain things in the first round, but today was far more pleasant to play, just a higher level of tennis on my side,” said Djokovic. 

“I’m very pleased with the way I felt on the court.” As Djokovic edges closer towards a Golden Grand Slam, after already snapping up the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon titles this year, he appears unfazed by the rising pressure. 

“I think that once you reach the top spots in the rankings and start winning Slams, you’re going to experience different kinds of expectations and pressure from yourself and people around,” said Djokovic. “Being a Grand Slam champion and being number one in the world carries a lot of weight.” 

Japan’s Naomi Osaka returns to Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic yesterday. Pic/AFP

Osaka raced into the Last 16 as she powered past Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic 6-3, 6-2 in just over an hour, playing her second match in as many days after lighting the Olympic cauldron on Friday. 

“Honestly, I feel like I was a bit more nervous before the match,” said Osaka. “I felt a lot of butterflies, but I think as I started playing and feeling more comfortable, I knew that no matter what it would be a great match.”  

Meanwhile, third seed Aryna Sabalenka was beaten by Donna Vekic in the second round. Sabalenka lost 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 to Vekic, while 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek was left in tears after going down in straight sets to Spain’s Paula Badosa. Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck knocked out Czech 10th seed Petra Kvitova in three sets as Sara Sorribes Tormo backed up her defeat of Barty with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Fiona Ferro. 

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