Osaka Beats the Bugs to Power into Open Second Round

Melbourne, Jan 15 (AFP) Japanese fourth seed Naomi Osaka overcame a nervous start and distraction from flying bugs to ease into the Australian Open second round Tuesday.

The US Open champion downed Magda Linette of Poland 6-4, 6-2 in just under an hour to set up a meeting with Tamara Zidansek of Slovakia in the next round.

"I felt really nervous walking onto the court but then when I started playing I just felt really happy and grateful that I'm able to play in front of such a great crowd," she said of her experience on Rod Laver Arena.

The 21-year-old said she enjoyed the warm Australian conditions but had to call for a ballboy's help when a bug was fluttering on court as she prepared to serve for the match.

"I'm not really that great at catching them, I'd accidentally squish it maybe, so it's probably not a good idea" she said.

Osaka quickly put aside her brush with Australian wildlife and sealed the match with an ace.

It was one of six aces she fired down during the match, declaring herself happy with the way she was overcoming jitters about her serve at the season-opening Grand Slam.

"There's always a concern for me when I serve, and I have to fix this," she said.

"Sometimes I don't know how I'm going to feel when I step onto the line. Some days are really good, then some days are shaky."

Osaka could seal her stratospheric rise by becoming world number one with a run deep into the tournament, but she said such concerns had not crossed her mind.

"For me, that's not really my goal," she said.

"I just want to play well in this tournament. I'll see how my ranking is after. Rankings were never that much of a concern for me."

Bookies have installed her as second favourite to lift the Australian title after Serena Williams, who she beat in last year's US Open final, sparking the American's infamous meltdown at the umpire.

While the controversy overshadowed Osaka's breakthrough moment, she has appeared comfortable in the spotlight and says she is feeling no extra pressure at Melbourne as a Grand Slam champion. (AFP) AH

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