Osaka happy with No.2 ranking at Wimbledon

Naomi Osaka says she is happy to head into Wimbledon without the No.1 ranking after losing top spot to Australia’s Ash Barty last month.

The Japanese star claimed top spot during a remarkable run of success that saw her win back-to-back major titles at the US Open and Australian Open.

However, Barty’s surging form brought the Aussie a first Grand Slam title in Paris, and she grabbed the No.1 spot two weeks later with victory on the grass at Eastbourne.

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Osaka claims to feel liberated by chasing the top ranking once again, rather than being the player everyone wanted to beat during her 21-week stint at No.1.

“Mentally it was way more stress and pressure than I could have imagined,” said the 21-year-old.

“I don’t think there was anything that could have prepared me for that, especially since I’m kind of an over-thinker.

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“So I think it’s better for me now to be, like, I was going to say, lower-ranked.

“Isn’t that crazy, to be No.2 here, because the only upside is if you win the tournament, you’re automatically No.1? That, for sure, is a really big goal of mine. I don’t have to think about defending the ranking or anything.

“Also I’m really happy for Ashleigh. She’s super amazing. I think just, like, her whole story of how she quit and came back is super cool.”

Osaka begins her Wimbledon campaign against Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva in Monday’s second match won Centre Court.

Novak Djokovic will open play in the traditional Centre Court slot reserved for the defending men’s champion against Germany’s Phillip Kohlschreiber.

Djokovic will attempt to win a 16th Grand Slam and fifth Wimbledon title over the next two weeks.

“Grand Slams are at this stage of my career and life always the priority in terms of achievements,” said the Serb.

“I’m privileged to be the number one in the world, it’s a role that carries a lot of responsibility and pressure so I try to deal with that as best as I can.

“It was a very emotional Roland Garros and fortunately I got to the semifinals. Now it’s just building momentum and looking forward to returning to that sacred court.”

British No.1 Kyle Edmund and Spain’s Jaume Munar complete the Centre Court line-up, while No.1 Court hosts Simona Halep v Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Alexander Zverev v Jiri Vesely, and Venus Williams v Cori Gauff.

Stan Wawrinka, Karolina Pliskova, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Caroline Wozniacki are all in action on Court 2.