Australian Open: Defending champion Naomi Osaka reaches last 32 in Melbourne

Defending champion Naomi Osaka put an angry outburst behind her to reach the Australian Open last 32 as world number one Ashleigh Barty also progressed.

Japanese third seed Osaka beat Saisai Zheng 6-2 6-4 to set up a potential third-round meeting with teenager Coco Gauff, who plays Sorana Cirstea later.

Osaka, 22, threw her racquet on the floor and kicked it after China’s Zheng broke her serve in the second set.

“I just wanted to fight,” said Osaka, who won in one hour and 20 minutes.

“I’ve been in this position before on this court and I was thinking that I really don’t want to play a third set this time.”

Australian Barty, who reached the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park last year, eased to a 6-1 6-4 victory against Slovenia’s Polona Hercog in just over an hour.

Caroline Wozniacki recovered from going 5-1 down in the opening set to win 7-5 7-5 and put off her impending retirement for at least another match.

The 2018 champion won six games in a row to clinch the opening set and also went 3-0 down in the second before mounting a comeback against Ukrainian 23rd seed Dayana Yastremska.

The Dane, 29, will face Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, who beat British number one Johanna Konta in her opening match, in the third round.

Meanwhile, Czech seventh seed Petra Kvitova, who was beaten by Osaka in last year’s final, progressed with a 7-5 7-5 victory over Spain’s Paula Badosa.

American 14th seed Sofia Kenin saw off compatriot and wildcard Ann Li 6-1 6-3, while Germany’s Julia Goerges knocked out Croatia’s 13th seed Petra Martic in a 4-6 6-3 7-5 victory.

In her final season before retirement, Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro won her first-round match against Belarusian 11th seed Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (8-6) to set up a meeting with Polish 18-year-old Iga Swiatek.