WTA Indian Wells: Naomi Osaka eases past Danielle Collins to reach R16
The world no. 1 and defending Indian Wells champion Naomi Osaka is safely through to the fourth round after a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over the Australian Open semi-finalist Danielle Collins in an hour and 22 minutes. Last year in Beijing, Osaka lost just one game against the American and she had the upper hand today as well, losing only 15 points on serve and controlling the scoreboard with the strong performance on the return that gave her four breaks from nine chances. Naomi finished the match with 29 winners and 21 unforced errors, far more impressive than Danielle's 11-22 ratio that wasn't enough for a more favorable result or to offer her the advantage from the baseline.
The Japanese drew first blood in the third game with a forehand winner although she stayed ahead only for a couple of minutes, as Collins pulled the break back in game four to level the score at 2-2. Danielle defended three break chances in the following game to stay on the positive side of the scoreboard before wasting a 40-15 lead at 4-4 to suffer a break after a couple of beautiful winners from Osaka. The two-time Grand Slam champion secured the opener with a forehand down the line winner in game ten, gaining the momentum and mounting the pressure on her opponent.
Danielle managed to win just six points on the return in set number two and she was nowhere near those numbers, spraying a backhand error to lose serve at love in game three. Serving at 1-3, the American squandered some five game points before Osaka broke her for the second time following a forehand mistake from Collins who saved a match point in game seven to reduce the deficit and prolong the match. Nonetheless, it was all over when Naomi held at 15 and sealed the deal with a backhand winner at 5-3 to set the mouthwatering clash against Belinda Bencic in the last 16.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2UvdS6w
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