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Naomi Osaka ‘refreshed and happy’ as she kicks off her Olympic campaign with dominant victory against Saisai Zheng

By CNN

These are early days for the Tokyo Olympics, but Naomi Osaka is quickly emerging as the headline act.

Two days after lighting the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony — a moment she called “the greatest athletic achievement and honor” of her life — Osaka took to the tennis court for her first game in almost two months on Sunday, defeating China’s Saisai Zheng 6-1 6-4 on Ariake Tennis Park’s Centre Court.

Wimbledon champion Ashleigh Barty’s surprise loss against Sara Sorribes Tormo earlier on Sunday means Osaka is now the top-ranked player in the women’s draw in her bid to become the first Japanese woman to win an Olympic tennis medal.

The four-time grand slam champion hadn’t played since withdrawing from the French Open at the end of May, which followed her decision not to undertake media duties for mental health reasons.

She chose not to play in Wimbledon, too, but has arrived in Tokyo rejuvenated and ready to make her mark.

“This, playing the Olympics, has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, so I feel like the break I took was very needed,” the 23-year-old Osaka told reporters. “I feel definitely a little bit refreshed and happy again.”

Baking heat

Extreme heat and humidity has proved a challenge for tennis players in Tokyo and Osaka’s match took place in baking, midday heat, broken occasionally when a light breeze swept across the court.

Her entrance was greeted by an enthusiastic stadium announcer and a smattering of applause from the near-empty stands, which mainly comprised teammates, officials and members of the media.

Despite her absence from the tour, Osaka showed few signs of rustiness as she opened her Olympic campaign, cruising through the first game with three aces, before twice breaking Zheng to race into a 4-0 lead in the first set.

World No. 52 Zheng, who is appearing in her second Olympics, had opportunities to break back in the fifth game, only for Osaka to hold on and wrap up the first set in just 32 minutes.

That dominance continued into the second set as Osaka secured another early break of serve, but this time Zheng was able to build more of a foothold and had two break points to level the set at 4-3.

It proved to be only a glimmer of hope, however, as Osaka bounced back to take the game and, shortly afterwards, the match.

“I felt really nervous being in Japan and playing here for the first time in maybe two years, and for it to be my first Olympics,” said Osaka. “It was definitely really nerve-wracking. But I am glad I was able to win, she is a very tough opponent.”

History maker

The game, originally scheduled for Saturday, was moved to Sunday ahead of the opening ceremony, fueling speculation that Osaka, who was born in Japan and moved to the US when she was three years old, might have been selected to light the cauldron.

She duly did, joining the likes of boxer Muhammad Ali –– at the Atlanta Games in 1996 — and Cathy Freeman four years later in Sydney to take part in a historic moment that will live long in the memory.

Osaka is also the first tennis player to have the honor of lighting the cauldron.

“Naomi Osaka is a home favorite and a lot of eyes are on her,” men’s world No. 1 Novak Djokovic said after his victory on Saturday.

“Being at home playing is a lot of pressure, but it’s great for our sport just in general to see that there’s a lot of attention towards it.”

Osaka is one of Japan’s star athletes, her face displayed on billboards all around Tokyo and local media celebrated the decision to make her the final torch bearer of these Olympics.

Newspaper Nikkei called it a moment of “diversity and harmony,” while Mainichi Shimbun described how top athletes with overseas roots “symbolized diversity, one of the visions of the Olympic Games.”

In spite of her nerves on her Olympic debut, Osaka looked composed on the court. She next faces Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic for a place in the third round of a women’s draw that is without a number of big names, including Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Angelique Kerber, Simona Halep and Bianca Andreescu.

That, however, is unlikely to stop home fans, who are being kept away from venues in Tokyo amid the pandemic, from keeping a close eye on the tournament and Osaka’s progress.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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