Serena Williams releases statement after skipping media availability following Miami loss

Naomi Osaka won the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in early March.

Osaka, 20, showed some understandable nerves but was able to stay in the game and when she broke in the seventh game, it was the flawless chance for the Japanese player to take control.

Seeded players were scheduled to be in action starting on Thursday.

Naomi Osaka seems to have carried her good form into Miami.

The new No. 22 in the world is now 14-4 on the year.

Osaka, on the other hand, was extremely delighted. “Serena is still the No.1 player out there”, explained Navratilova, who sees the Miami Open as the flawless launchpad for the Serena season.

– Osaka was born on October 16, 1997, in the city of Osaka on the Japanese island of Honshu.

“I am not yet at my best”.

If Kasatkina’s run in California has been impressive, Osaka’s has been jaw-dropping.

– After one final, four quarter-finals and third-round appearances at three grand slams, Osaka was named 2016 WTA Newcomer of the Year.

She released a brief statement 90 minutes prior to the match. It was that shot that did the most damage on the way to her Indian Wells title. Besides the high number of errors off both the forehand and backhand flanks, her serve, one of her most formidable weapons when she’s operating at her best, was inconsistent.

In the last-eight stage, Osaka faced a similar big-serving, flat-hitting foe in No 5 Karolina Pliskova.

Osaka was more succinct when describing her emotions on Twitter. Then could Halep truly take her on? No.

Serena Williams’ return to the Miami Open lasted just over an hour.

The Miami Open, the largest tennis event in the world outside of the Grand Slams, is live exclusively on BT Sport starting on Tuesday, and presents Williams another chance to send a reminder to the rest of the Tour.

“For now I will just be a player – who knows what will happen in the future”, she said of her role in the new-look tournament.

She also had a fantastic on-court interview.

It started well for Williams, on her comeback after delivering a baby as she held to love in the first game. With the victory, she has ensured that she broke into the top-25 for the first time in her career. “I would freak myself out if I was looking too much at her”. I’m not going to slap a ball when it’s not there.

“Serena is the main reason why I started playing”. I don’t really know how to describe it. That does not bode well for her clash with Osaka, who played some stunning tennis in Indian Wells.

“We are very supportive of those players returning from pregnancy to the Tour”. I think you could see that in the first couple games.

And it was Osaka who struck first.