Naomi Osaka breezed past Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-4 on Monday to reach the second round of the Charleston Open, the largest women's-only tennis tournament in North America.
Osaka, who moved up one place to a career-high 21st in the latest WTA world rankings, is seeded 10th in the green clay event that runs through Sunday at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Daniel Island, Charleston.
Two weeks after claiming her first WTA title at the hard-court BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Osaka, who has struggled on clay, said she was relieved to have won on Monday.
The Charleston Open was the only clay-court event she played satisfactorily last year, when she reached the round of 16.
"I was OK on clay the year before last but not last year, except for this event," she said. "I want to start anew this year and I'm glad I won."
Osaka will face 74th-ranked Laura Siegemund of Germany in her next match.