Tokyo Olympics: Huge upset as tennis star Naomi Osaka defeated

Naomi Osaka is out of the Olympics.

After dominant wins in the first two rounds of Olympic tennis, Japan's Naomi Osaka was upset by the  Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova, 6-1, 6-4.

With 34 unforced errors, Osaka looked listless throughout the match, consistently missing her first serve. Osaka had trouble handling Vondrousova's left-handed returns.

The Olympics was Osaka's first tournament since she withdrew from the French Open two months ago, citing her mental health. 

"I definitely feel like there was a lot of pressure for this," Osaka said after the match. "I think it's maybe because I haven't played in the Olympics before and for the first year (it) was a bit much. I think I'm glad with how I played, with taking that break that I had."

"I feel like my attitude wasn't that great because I don't really know how to cope with that pressure so that's the best that I could have done in this situation."

By the time Vondrousova jumped to a 3-0 lead in the match's first 8 minutes, it was obvious Osaka was not at her best. At 4-0 it looked like Osaka was already looking forward to the next set.

In the second set, the 23-year old Osaka showed flashes of the player who won four Grand Slams, but by then Vondrousova had her confidence and belieivedd she could beat the No. 2 seed.

Although she was raised in the U.S. where she lives and trains, Osaka, who's father is Haitian and mother Japanese, elected to assume Japanese citizenship and play for the nation of her birth.

Last Friday, Osaka lit the Olympic torch in an emotional ceremony, her first public appearance after withdrawing from the French Open and skipping WImbledon.

After Ashleigh Barty, No. 1 seed and recent Wimbledon champion, fell in straight sets in the first round to Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo, Osaka was favored to win the gold.

Instead, Osaka will get an early start to prepare for the U.S. Open ,which will be played in September.

Naomi Osaka will leave the Tokyo 2020 Olympics without a medal, as the four-time major champion was upset in the third round Tuesday by Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic.

Vondrousova, a 2019 French Open finalist, advances with the 6-1, 6-4 win.

Osaka -- who had 32 unforced errors in the match -- isn't the first big name to lose early in the women's draw. World No. 1 and Wimbledon champion Ashleigh Barty of Australia lost in the opening round to Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo. No. 3 seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus also made an early exit, losing to Croatia's Donna Vekic in the second round.

But this upset is arguably much bigger than those. The face of these Olympics, and on her best surface, this is the first time Osaka has lost on a hard court before the quarterfinals since the 2020 Australian Open, when she lost to American Coco Gauff in the third round. All seven of Osaka's career titles have come on hard courts.

"I definitely feel like there was a lot of pressure for this," Osaka said after the match. "I think it's maybe because I haven't played in the Olympics before and for the first year (it) was a bit much. I think I'm glad with how I played, with taking that break that I had."

The Olympics was Osaka's first tournament since she withdrew from the French Open two months ago, citing her mental health.

"I've taken long breaks before and I've managed to do well," Osaka said. "I'm not saying that I did bad right now, but I do know that my expectations were a lot higher.

"I feel like my attitude wasn't that great because I don't really know how to cope with that pressure so that's the best that I could have done in this situatio