US Open Day 1: Naomi Osaka wears 'Breonna Taylor' face mask, Coco Gauff defeated in first round

Japanese fourth seed has seven masks - one for each round of the Grand Slam if she reaches the final

Naomi Osaka wears a mask in honour of Breonna Taylor before her match against Misaki Doi during the first round of the US Open. AP Photo

Naomi Osaka wears a mask in honour of Breonna Taylor before her match against Misaki Doi during the first round of the US Open. EPA

Naomi Osaka wears a mask in honor of Breonna Taylor as she celebrates after defeating Misaki Doi in the first round of the US Open. AP Photo

Naomi Osaka of Japan runs towards the net during her Womens Singles first round match against Misaki Doi of Japan on Day One of the 2020 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. AFP

Misaki Doi of Japan fades back for a ball during her Womens Singles first round match against Naomi Osaka of Japan. AFP

Naomi Osaka hits the ball against Misaki Doi. Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Misaki Doi, of Japan, returns to Naomi Osaka, of Japan. AP Photo

Naomi Osaka of Japan serves during her Womens Singles first round match against Misaki Doi of Japan. AFP

A woman cleans the chair umpire's seat before Naomi Osaka, of Japan, faces Misaki Doi, of Japan. AP Photo

Danielle Collins of the United States returns a volley in her Women's Singles first round match against Anett Kontaveit of Estonia. AFP

Cori Gauff of the United States reaches for a forehand against Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia. Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports

Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia hits a backhand against Cori Gauff of the United States. Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports

Cori Gauff (USA) greets Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) at the net following their match on day one of the 2020 U.S. Open Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine waits for a volley during her Women's Singles first round match against Astra Sharma of Australia. AFP

Astra Sharma of Australia returns a volley during her Women's Singles first round match against Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine. AFP

Rebecca Peterson hits the ball against Kirsten Flipkens. Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Naomi Osaka continued to keep her social justice message front and centre after the Japanese fourth seed adorned a black face mask with the name 'Breonna Taylor' before and after her first round win in the US Open on Monday night.

Osaka initially withdrew from her semi-final at the Western & Southern Open on Thursday to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She played the rearranged match on Friday but pulled out of the final due to a hamstring injury.

That injury showed few signs of returning but Osaka had to dig deep to beat compatriot Misaki Doi 6-2 5-7 6-2 in her opener at Flushing Meadows.

The past week saw Osaka, 22, emerge as tennis' torchbearer in protests and the face mask in tribute of Breonna Taylor - a Black woman killed by police officers who burst into her apartment in March - was the latest stand by the two-time Grand Slam champion to raise awareness of racial injustice in the United States.

"Actually, so I have seven [masks]," said Osaka. "It's quite sad that seven masks aren't enough for all the names. Hopefully I'll get to the final so you can see all of them."

With no spectators allowed into the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center due to Covid-19 health and safety protocols, large sections of seating in the Arthur Ashe Stadium court were covered with 'Black Lives Matter' banners.

Osaka, the 2018 champion, started strongly in the opening set as she broke Doi's serve twice without facing a single breakpoint.

But she struggled with her serve in the second and her unforced errors mounted as the 81st-ranked Doi, who lost to Osaka in their only previous meeting in 2016, levelled the match with a second break.

Normal service was resumed in the decider, however, as Osaka broke her Fed Cup team mate early before sealing the win with a second break.

"It was very difficult and I kind of expected it because first-round nerves and also she's a tough opponent so I knew there was a chance it would get really long," Osaka said in a courtside interview.

"I felt like it could have been better (with my serve) but it did what it needed to do on the very important points so I can't be that mad. I definitely need to practise some more."

Next up for Osaka will be Italian Camila Giorgi, who earlier beat Alison van Uytvanck 2-6 6-1 7-5.

Gauff 'still has a lot to learn'

Earlier, American teen sensation Coco Gauff was eliminated from the first round of a Grand Slam for the first time.

Gauff, whose run to the third round ignited last year's tournament, bowed out 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 to Anastasija Sevastova at an empty Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Having reached the fourth round at the Australian Open in January and Wimbledon in her Grand Slam main draw debut last year, 16-year-old Gauff had never felt the pain of an early exit from the majors.

"I could have played better today," Gauff told reporters. "I just got on Tour a little over a year ago, so I still have a lot to learn and a long ways to go."

Old guard march on

Top seed Karolina Pliskova overcame an error-strewn first set to defeat Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina 6-4, 6-0 to reach the second round.

Pliskova, seeded first following the withdrawals of world No 1 Ashleigh Barty and second-ranked Simona Halep, will next face France's Caroline Garcia, who came through her first round match 6-3, 6-2 against Italian Jasmine Paolini.

Angelique Kerber, the 2016 champion, navigated a tricky first round tie, defeating Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic 6-4, 6-4 and will face fellow German Anna-Lena Friedsam in the second round.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova produced a fine performance on the opening day, defeating Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3, 6-2. The sixth-seeded Czech will next take on Kateryna Kozlova.