Osaka, the third seed, faced a tricky contest against the
Frenchwoman, who was ranked a career-high of fourth in late 2018, but never
gave her a sniff in the 6-2, 6-3 victory in 61 minutes.
"I stayed focused throughout the match and I tried to
play within myself," Osaka, who hit 23 winners, told the crowd at Rod
Laver Arena.
"She's a tough opponent because you don't know how she
might play."
The three-time Grand Slam winner is riding a 16-match
unbeaten streak -- including the US Open final -- dating back 12 months, and is
building momentum having not played before arriving in Australia since her
triumph in New York.
The 2019 Australian Open champion cruised through the
opening set to draw first blood and snuffed out any challenge from 43-ranked
Garcia with a break in the sixth game of the second before finishing it off in
style with her 10th ace.
Osaka is eyeing redemption after her title defence last year
ended with a shock loss to American teenager Coco Gauff in the third round.
She faces 27th seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia in the third
round.
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