French Open tennis - 'My mum is watching' - Naomi Osaka marks Mother's Day in Paris with on-court interview

ByDan Quarrell

Updated 30/05/2021 at 13:04 GMT

World number two Naomi Osaka began her French Open campaign with a comfortable win over Romanian Patricia Maria Tig on the opening day of the clay court Grand Slam on Sunday. The 23-year-old proved too strong for the 63rd-ranked player and claimed an impressive first win in the tournament on a sun-bathed Philippe Chatrier court.

Naomi Osaka gave a very positive on-court post-match interview after her 6-4 7-6(4) victory over Patricia Tig to get the 2021 French Open rolling in Paris.

Osaka's pre-tournament decision to step away from her press obligations for the duration of the fortnight has got players and those in the media giving their opinions and Eurosport's Mats Wilander expressed his views pre-match. The legendary Swedish player believes she has made a bad move and would love for her to reconsider.

But the Japanese star was able to get back to action on Sunday morning as she opened proceedings on Philippe Chatrier with an impressive performance against Tig and she followed it up with a very happy on-court interview.

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Osaka did speak to fans as she engaged in the post-match chat on the court with Fabrice Santoro and she made a point of marking Mother's Day and complimenting the court.

• 'It's a bad move, reconsider or don't play' - Wilander on Osaka not speaking to press
• Osaka breezes through opener against Tig at French Open

"It's a work in progress. Hopefully the more I play the better I play," Osaka said on Court Philippe Chatrier.

"I'm really glad that I won. It's a beautiful court. I've only played two matches here [on Chatrier], one before the roof and one now, so hopefully I'll keep it going.

My mum is watching so these flowers are for her. I just want to say thank you to everyone for coming out and Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in here.

The four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, who has had her performances on clay courts questioned in the build up to the tournament, ensured that she always had the ascendancy throughout.

'It's a bad move' - Wilander on Osaka not doing press at French Open

Tig battled in doughty fashion and saved a breakpoint and a matchpoint with impressive poise to take the second set into a tiebreaker but the number two seed eventually took the breaker 7-4 to wrap up victory in one hour and 47 minutes.

Highlights: Osaka begins French Open with win over Tig

In the second round, Osaka will take on another unseeded Romanian as she prepares to face Ana Bogdan, who beat Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-1 6-3.

Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a forehand volley in her First Round match against Patricia Maria Tig of Romania during Day One of the 2021 French Open at Roland Garros

Image credit: Getty Images

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Watch all the action from the 2021 French Open live on Eurosport, eurosport.co.uk and the Eurosport app with 13-time champion Rafael Nadal eyeing a remarkable 14th title at his favourite event and 2020 Roland Garros sensation Iga Swiatek aiming to replicate her stunning triumph in Paris.

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