Toronto: Osaka dominates Jabeur despite struggles with first serve

Naomi Osaka secured her fifth victory over a Top 20 player since returning from maternity leave at the start of the 2024 season by defeating ninth-seeded Ons Jabeur 6-3 6-1 at the National Bank Open in Toronto. Playing on her favorite surface, the hard-court specialist landed just 46% of her first serves but never faced a break point against the three-time Grand Slam runner-up.

Naomi Osaka in Toronto“Everyone knows I really love hard courts. I wasn’t thinking too much. It was very instinctual,” Osaka said after the first-round match. “Honestly, when I play the best players, like Ons, I tend to play better.”

While Osaka’s first-serve percentage was subpar, Jabeur’s was even lower at 36%, and…