Osaka loses to Zhang, Gauff quits with injury at Cincinnati
MASON, Ohio (AP) — Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka was eliminated by Shuai Zhang, 6-4, 7-5, in the first round of the Western & Southern Open on Tuesday.
The tournament outside Cincinnati lost another big name, Coco Gauff, when she retired from her match against qualifier Marie Bouzkova with a left ankle injury. Gauff had her ankle taped after the first set and dropped out after the first game of the second set.
The marquee match scheduled for Tuesday night at this hart-court U.S. Open tuneup was Serena Williams against Emma Raducanu, last year’s champion at Flushing Meadows. Williams announced last week that she is transitioning away from tennis, although she has not said explicitly that the U.S. Open will be her last tournament.
Karolina Pliskova advanced with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Williams’ older sister, Venus.