Osaka looks to New York but Gauff happy in SW19

Osaka disappointed by 6-4, 6-1 Navarro loss but is eager to start the hard-court season

- Simon Cambers

When Naomi Osaka returned to the Tour in January, six months after giving birth to her daughter, she said she did not expect to hit top form until later this summer, on the hard courts.

Yesterday, after impressing in her first-round win at Wimbledon, she was undone, beaten 6-4, 6-1 by the American No 19 seed, Emma Navarro. For Osaka, the US hard courts probably cannot come soon enough.

"I'm excited to go back on hard courts but I'm a bit disappointed because I wanted to do really well and I put a lot of time into it," the former world No 1 said.

"But there's always next year." Grass has always been a troublesome surface for Osaka, who reached the third round on her first two visits in 2017 and 2018 but who lost in round one in 2019 and had not played here since.

Against Navarro, who has enjoyed a breakthrough season, she began well but faded as the American roared through to the third round.