Naomi Osaka, of Japan, adjusts her racket during a second round tennis match against Viktorija Golubic, of Switzerland, at the 2020 Summer Olympics on July 26 in Tokyo. (AP Photo)
There were never any questions about Naomi Osaka’s potential on the tennis court when she took a two-month mental health break.
Especially on hard courts--the surface being used at the Tokyo Olympics and the surface on which Osaka has won all four of her Grand Slam titles.
The Japanese superstar crushed winners off both wings--forehand and backhand--seemingly at will in a 6-3, 6-2 win over 49th-ranked Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland on Monday to reach the last 16 at the Ariake Tennis Park.