Second-seeded Naomi Osaka made her return to clay to beat Misaki Doi 7-5, 6-2 in the first round of the Madrid Open on Friday.
Osaka overcame Doi’s strong start by hitting six aces and breaking her serve five times.
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Second-seeded Naomi Osaka made her return to clay to beat Misaki Doi 7-5, 6-2 in the first round of the Madrid Open on Friday.
Osaka, the U.S. Open and Australian Open champion, next plays Karolina Muchova after the Czech beat Qiang Wang 6-1, 6-3.
Daria Kasatkina needed three match points to see off Irina-Camelia Begu 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1).
Romania's Simona Halep returns the ball to Spain's Sara Sorribes during their match at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Friday, April 30, 2021. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)
Romania's Simona Halep returns the ball to Spain's Sara Sorribes during their match at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Friday, April 30, 2021. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)
Romania's Simona Halep returns the ball to Spain's Sara Sorribes during their match at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Friday, April 30, 2021. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)
A leg injury meant Osaka missed last season’s clay-court swing, and her last individual tournament on the surface was at Roland Garros in 2019. She played and lost for Japan against Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo in the Fed Cup in February 2020.
Japan's Misaki Doi serves to Japan's Naomi Osaka during their match at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Friday, April 30, 2021. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)
Osaka, the U.S. Open and Australian Open champion, next plays Karolina Muchova after the Czech beat Qiang Wang 6-1, 6-3.
Third-seeded Simona Halep, who won the tournament in 2016 and '17, beat Sorribes Tormo 6-0, 7-5.
Maria Sakkari roared back after losing the first seven games of her match against Amanda Anisimova to win 0-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Japan's Naomi Osaka, returns the ball to Japan's Misaki Doi during their match at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Friday, April 30, 2021. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)
Daria Kasatkina needed three match points to see off Irina-Camelia Begu 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1).
Fifth-seeded Aryna Sabalenka defeated Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 6-2.
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Japan's Naomi Osaka, serves to Japan's Misaki Doi during their match at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Friday, April 30, 2021. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)
Romania's Simona Halep returns the ball to Spain's Sara Sorribes during their match at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Friday, April 30, 2021. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)
Romania's Simona Halep returns the ball to Spain's Sara Sorribes during their match at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Friday, April 30, 2021. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)
Romania's Simona Halep returns the ball to Spain's Sara Sorribes during their match at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Friday, April 30, 2021. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)