Naomi Osaka was cheered on to a 6-3, 6-4 first-round win over Australia's Astra Sharma at the Miami Open on Wednesday.
Playing in what she calls her home tournament, Osaka was in complete control from the moment she stepped onto the Hard Rock Stadium court, never allowing Sharma a single break opportunity while keeping her 96th-ranked opponent under constant pressure.
After the match, Osaka soaked up the applause from the sparse crowd in what was a far different atmosphere from 11 days earlier at Indian Wells, when she fought back tears after being heckled during a second-round loss to Veronika Kudermetova.
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