Melbourne: Thailand's Luksika Kumkhum was edged out by Japanese Naomi Osaka in three thrilling sets in the first round of the Australian Open yesterday.
The nineteen-year-old Japanese overcame losing the first-set to beat Luksika 6-7 (2), 6-4, 7-5.
In the opening set, Osaka, ranked 48th in the world, struggled to find her form against the 183rd-ranked Thai, who earned a wildcard entry into the year's first Grand Slam event, letting her frustration show by throwing her racket in the air.
After making 24 unforced errors to her Thai opponent's 18 in the first set, Osaka regrouped in the next two sets as the hard-hitting Japanese teenager, born to a Haitian father and a Japanese mother, managed to reach the second round for the second straight year.
"I'm really exhausted, but happy," said Osaka, who reached the third round last year in her Grand Slam debut.
"I wasn't expecting the match to turn out this way. I didn't want to lose. That's all [I had in mind]," she said.
Osaka, who was named the 2016 WTA Newcomer of the Year, will face ninth-seed Briton Johanna Konta in the second round.
Osaka will not be joined in the second round by compatriot Risa Ozaki, the world No.93 losing 7-5, 6-1 to Italy's Sara Errani.
Luksika, 23, was playing in her fourth Australian Open.
She reached the second round in 2013 and 2014, and lost to Petra Kvitova in the opening round last year. kyodo/bangkok post