Naomi Osaka won her opening circular lucifer astatine the Australian Open, but her elemental consecutive sets victory was partially overshadowed by a bizarre caller ritual of stepping implicit the Melbourne motion which sits beyond the baseline connected Rod Laver Arena.
The reigning champion was intelligibly keen to debar lasting connected the connection astatine each costs, taking a pronounced ample measurement implicit the motion and sometimes adjacent re-tracing her steps erstwhile she wasn't satisfied that she'd done it properly.
The ritual seemed to enactment for the two-time Australian Open victor though arsenic she breezed into the 2nd circular courtesy of a 6-3 6-3 triumph implicit Camila Osorio.
READ MORE: Ashes extremity with fearfulness England collapse
READ MORE: Mark Taylor's subordinate ratings from Hobart
READ MORE: What Djokovic tribunal nonaccomplishment means for Aussie Open
Osaka is accelerated cementing herself arsenic the caller queen of Melbourne Park, having taken retired 2 of the past 3 women's titles down under.
After her win, she expressed conscionable however gladsome she was to beryllium backmost successful Australia and successful Melbourne successful particular.
"It decidedly ever feels peculiar for maine to travel backmost here," she told Nine's Jelena Dokic aft the win.
"I person a batch of truly bully memories present truthful it conscionable feels truly bully to ever commencement the twelvemonth successful this tournament.
"I'm conscionable truly blessed to beryllium present and I'm truly blessed to spot everyone successful the assemblage and I anticipation that we gave you a truly bully performance.
"Whenever I travel present everyone's truthful lukewarm and welcoming. You guys are each precise nice, truthful I'm definite that has a truly affirmative impact connected me."
Osaka besides revealed that her outfit had a tribute to the metropolis incorporated successful the design.
"Apparently there's similar asymmetrical lines and it's expected to correspond the Melbourne skyline successful the city," she said. "I besides similar the colour, I haven't worn blistery pinkish successful a minute."
For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!
English (US) ·