Osaka, 29, in a position of being chased - Toray Tennis

Osaka was swept off her feet by a rising star. Pohankova, 18, is ranked 144th in the world, which is low, but she is a young player with remarkable progress, having won the junior division of Wimbledon last year. Osaka graciously admitted defeat, saying, ``She played better tennis.''

The opponent's spinning ball made it difficult for them to attack, and they were unable to attack. During the rally exchanges, there was a sense of defensiveness as shots that went in shallowly were returned to sharp angles. In the end, he lost his service game and lost in straight sets.

While there was little information about the opponent as it was their first match, their skills were known as they had played in top tournaments. Osaka, who turned 29 on the 16th, won her first Grand Slam tournament at the 2018 US Open. Looking back on how he once defeated famous senior players one after another, he confessed his mixed feelings, saying, ``I guess I'm getting older.''

This will be his last appearance in this year's tour tournament. I couldn't conclude with the title, but I'm not pessimistic. Looking ahead to next season, he said, ``I want to keep learning and keep growing.I think it's possible.''