Tennis News Today: Naomi Osaka in tears after defeating Jelena Ostapenko in US Open 1R; Novak Djokovic weighs in on the difficulties of competing in late-night matches

Naomi Osaka moved to tears following a hard-fought win over Jelena Ostapenko in the first round at the 2024 US Open. In other news, Novak Djokovic voiced his concerns about the challenges of playing late-night matches.

Meanwhile, Ben Shelton slammed ESPN for mistaking his shout-out in the first round at the US Open. Venus Williams made a stunning appearance on the cover of Perfect Magazine.

On that note, here's a recap of today's top tennis news:

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Naomi Osaka fights back tears after defeating Jelena Ostapenko in US Open 1R

Naomi Osaka couldn’t hold back her tears after securing a 6-3, 6-2 triumph against the 10th-seeded Jelena Ostapenko in the first round of the 2024 US Open. This marked her first victory against a top-10 player in four years, and her first win at Flushing Meadows in three years.

Watch the video here:

The two-time champion will take on Karolina Muchova in the second round on August 28. The winner of this match will face either Varvara Lepchenko or Anastasia Potapova in the third round.

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Novak Djokovic opens up about the challenges of playing late-night matches

Novak Djokovic at the 2024 Paris Olympics (Source: Getty Images)

Novak Djokovic has expressed his feelings about kicking off his 2024 US Open campaign with a late-night match against Radu Albot, which was significantly delayed due to the lengthy preceding contest between Sloane Stephens and Clara Burel at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Despite the late start, Djokovic secured a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory, matching his rival Roger Federer's record of 89 wins at the New York Major.

In the post-match press conference, Djokovic was asked about playing late-night matches, and he admitted that it's becoming increasingly difficult for him to stay up and perform late into the night.

"I don't think that aging helps really staying so late and playing very late. I can feel, you know, my batteries are low now. I'm shutting down. But it's been a long wait, to be honest. I thought I'm going to go out on the court, like, 8:15 p.m. because Stephens was 6-Love, 3-Love serving and then all of a sudden it turns out to be a two and a half hour match or whatever," Djokovic said.

Second seed Novak Djokovic will take on compatriot Laslo Djere in the second round on August 28. The winner of this match will face either 28th seed Alexei Popyrin or Pedro Martinez in the third round.

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Ben Shelton rebukes ESPN for misidentifying his shout-out at US Open 1R

Ben Shelton has pointed out an error made by ESPN after his 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 victory against Dominic Thiem in the 2024 US Open first round. This was Thiem's last appearance at the New York Major as he is set to retire after this season.

In his post-match interview, Shelton acknowledged his coaching team and loved ones, giving a special mention to his friend Nick for supporting him despite having an exam later that day. ESPN incorrectly reported that Nick was Shelton's brother.

Taking to social media, Shelton called out the mistake, humorously stating he didn't know he had a brother and addressing the assumption based on their light skin tone.

"In grand slams it's almost inevitable at this point... I ain't know I had a brother 😂," Shelton posted on his Instagram story.

"Saw a lightskin in the crowd and said he must be family 😭," he wrote further.

Ben Shelton's Instagram story

13th seed Ben Shelton will take on Roberto Bautista Agut in the second round on August 27. The winner of this match will face either Alexander Shevchenko or 20th seed Frances Tiafoe in the third round.

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Venus Williams stars on the cover of Perfect Magazine

Venus Williams recently graced the cover of Perfect Magazine, taking the spotlight in the September issue, where she is described as "Full-Hot." Perfect Magazine shared the cover image on Instagram, featuring Williams in a sleeveless white top and jeans, accessorized with minimal jewelry.

The post was accompanied by a quote from Williams:

""Loss should happen sometimes. It's just a moment. It's something we learn from." The incomparable powerhouse tennis ace Venus Williams is Full-hot for Perfect issue 07."

Venus Williams, currently ranked World No. 833, has only played two matches this season, exclusively as a wildcard. Williams participated in the Sunshine Doubles (BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and Miami Open), where she faced first-round exits.