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Osaka triumphs at Libema Open against Mertens

By Sports Desk June 11, 2024

Naomi Osaka put her French Open disappointment behind her to advance to the next round of the Libema Open after beating Elise Mertens in straight sets. 

The 26-year-old had match point against eventual winner Iga Swiatek in the second round at Roland-Garros but failed to capitalise. However, that defeat was put to the back of her mind, winning 6-2 6-4 in the Netherlands. 

Mertens matched Osaka in the opening exchanges, but the Japanese would rally to take control and win the next three games to secure an early advantage. 

She showed signs of frustration in the second set as the Belgian threatened to take the encounter to a deciding set, but Osaka remained composed to see out the victory. 

Osaka will now face either Bernarda Pera or Suzan Lamens in the next round. 

Data Debrief: Osaka wins maiden grass encounter against Mertens

Osaka's victory saw her win 28 of her 31 first-serve points, accumulating to a 90 per cent success rate. 

The Japanese claimed her fifth victory over Mertens since their first meeting in Wuhan in 2019, but her triumph was the first encounter between the pair on a grass court. 

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    Jamie Leweling netted the only goal of the encounter at the Allianz Arena, marking his senior international debut in style to put his nation on the brink of qualification. 

    The Netherlands struggled during the contest, ending the game with an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.13, with Donyell Malen's 89th minute effort their only attempt on target.

    Koeman's side also managed just eight touches in the opposition box compared to Germany's 26, despite edging the possession at the full-time whistle. 

    "If you go back too far, you bring that on yourself," Koeman said.

    "We came up short on all sides, perhaps in all facets of football. We did things differently at half-time and then we got a bit more rest. But they were much better today.

    "I am not satisfied by our performance. The Germans were the better, faster and physically stronger. They created more chances.

    "We lost too many balls in the midfield. We went too far back. That was not the plan. The plan was to put pressure forward on the right side. But it did not happen."

    The result leaves the Netherlands in second in Group A3, level on points with Hungary after Dominik Szoboszlai's double handed them a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

    Stand-in captain Stefan de Vrij echoed Koeman's thoughts after the encounter, saying his side deserved to lose against Germany.

    "It seems clear to me that it was a deserved defeat," said De Vrij.

    "The first half was very mediocre. We were very sloppy and gave away a number of balls just like that, which allowed them to become dangerous.

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    The Lazio defender took the armband in place of Virgil van Dijk, who was suspended following his red card against Hungary.

    Though the Netherlands did not do enough in attack, De Vrij said that Van Dijk's absence from the team had an impact. 

    "Yes, of course you miss him. He's a very important player and he's our captain. And he's a great defender, so it makes sense that he's missed," De Vrij concluded.

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    Jamie Leweling netted the winner on his senior international debut as Germany beat the Netherlands 1-0 in Monday's Nations League clash at the Allianz Arena.

    The Stuttgart forward, in for the injured Deniz Undav, had a goal within two minutes of his first cap ruled out after a VAR check showed Serge Gnabry was offside in the build-up.

    However, there was no denying Leweling in the 64th minute as the 23-year-old thumped a loose ball inside the box into the bottom corner past Bart Verbruggen to give the hosts a deserved lead in Munich.

    Verbruggen had undoubtedly been the busier of the two goalkeepers up until that point, making four saves prior to the breakthrough from Leweling, who also had a goal-bound shot blocked near the line by Stefan de Vrij.

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    Data Debrief: Debutants decide the game

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    Indeed, only Novak Djokovic (twice), Robin Soderling and Alexander Zverev have ever beaten the 38-year-old at the tournament.

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    "What's amazing is that he's been able to take that style of play and modify it for success on grass and hard courts.

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