Japan's Naomi Osaka beat Australia's Astra Sharma in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 in their first-round women's singles match at the Miami Open on Wednesday, registering her 50th win in a WTA 1000 event.
Ten days after her tearful exit from the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, where she was heckled by a spectator who shouted, "Naomi, you suck," Osaka took one hour and 20 minutes to power past world No. 96 Sharma in two sets at Hard Rock Stadium.
"I just didn't want to let anything bother me today," Osaka said during her on-court interview.
"The last match I played wasn't the greatest memory for me. I just wanted to come back out here and compete. And no matter if I won or lost, to just know that I have the best attitude I could."
Osaka won 93 percent of her first serve points and did not face a single break point throughout the match.
The four-time Grand Slam winner received a warm welcome from the Miami crowd and was greeted with chants of "we love you" as she left the court.
Unseeded Osaka will face 15th-ranked Angelique Kerber of Germany in the second round in a battle of former Grand Slam champions. Kerber received a bye for the first round due to being a seed.
In recent months Osaka's ranking has plummeted, which has been linked to her absence from the Tour. Currently she is ranked 77th in the world.
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