Osaka cruises to victory
Japanese star enjoys her win over Cibulkova in Pan Pacific Open, her first match since capturing the US Open
Japan's Naomi Osaka pulverised Slovak Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-1 to reach the Pan Pacific Open quarter-finals yesterday, in her first match since her historic US Open triumph.
The 20-year-old, who stunned Serena Williams to become Japan's first Grand Slam singles champion earlier this month, fired down 10 aces in a fearsome display of wham-bam tennis in Tokyo.
Third seed Osaka came out with guns blazing and ripped a fizzing forehand down the line on the first point, racing away to close out the first set with a pair of thundering aces.
A dazed Cibulkova had no answer to Osaka's firepower as the world No. 7 wrapped up a comfortable victory with a ferocious cross-court backhand after just 59 minutes.
"I didn't really feel any pressure - I felt it was more fun," said Osaka, who reached the Tokyo final in 2016.
"It was really difficult because she's such a great player but I just thought it was more fun. My serve was really good. I'm just grateful to be able to play here again."
Osaka will next meet either Barbora Strycova or Anett Kontaveit in the last eight.
Cibulkova, an Australian Open finalist in 2014, admitted she had been thoroughly outplayed.
"It wasn't a match I was proud of," she said. "I couldn't find my rhythm. I felt I was in control of some rallies but it was too hectic."
I didn't really feel any pressure - I felt it was more fun.Naomi Osaka, after beating Dominika Cibulkova to reach the quarter-finals of the Pan Pacific Open yesterday
Earlier, sixth seed Garbine Muguruza was upset by American qualifier Alison Riske 6-1, 6-2 in an abject performance from the Spanish former world No. 1, who looked a shadow of the player who captured the 2016 French Open and 2017 Wimbledon titles.
Riske advances to face fourth seed Karolina Pliskova, another player to have previously held the women's top ranking.
The Czech recovered from a set down to beat Australia's Daria Gavrilova 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 and avenge her opponent's defeat of twin sister Kristyna earlier this week.
But she made hard work of it, trashing a racket in frustration as she slipped behind 4-1 in the deciding set before clawing her way back.
"The first set was in my hands but I made some stupid mistakes," said Pliskova, who ended Gavrilova's resistance with a clever drop volley after two hours and 21 minutes.
"I tried to stay positive and, even though I broke my racket, I tried to keep fighting, because you always have a chance."
Second seed Caroline Garcia flirted with an early exit as the Frenchwoman overcame Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 to reach the last eight of the prestigious Tokyo event.
Previous champions of the event includes Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Kimiko Date and Martina Hingis. - AFP
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