Naomi Osaka won’t lose at all when she enters the Grand Slam quarterfinals
NEW YORK (AP) – Once Naomi Osaka reaches the quarterfinals of the Grand Slam Championship, be aware.
For a while, it got there was the problem.
Currently, Osaka seems to be back in her best form, and she is most certain to return to that major, ready to take a spot in the semifinals against Karolina Muchova at the U.S. Open on Wednesday.
This is the first time Osaka has been ranked No. 23 and is now the No. 23 seed – one of the four most important tennis matches since the 2021 Australian Open. This was also her last time winning a Grand Slam trophy.
So far, the 27-year-old Osaka has won every time in any professional fourth round, which is what she did on Flushing Meadow on Monday and beat No. 3 seed Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2.
“She seemed to be relaxing there. …She forced me to play what I do today,” Gough observed. “No matter what form she takes, she is always a strong player and I don’t think anyone takes her for granted, no matter where her “form” is, especially on a tough court.”
Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam champion and has been on that surface – winning in New York in 2018 and 2020, plus two wins at Melbourne Park, thanks to the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals combined to 12-0.
Osaka was asked about this unbeaten mark.
“I wouldn’t say it puts me stress or confidence. I think it’s an uncharted field at this point in my career,” Osaka said. “I just love it. I’m so happy. I’m able to fight against the best players in the world.”
That was at the French Open later in 2021. She revealed she had been dealing with anxiety and depression and then began a series of mental health breaks. She later missed her maternity leave for 17 months. Her daughter Shai was born in July 2023.
Two months later, Osaka came to the U.S. Open and sat in the stands at Arthur Ashe Stadium while Gauff defeated Muchova in the semifinals of the championship.
The 29-year-old 11th seed Muchova from the Czech Republic is a talented all-game player who is as creative as anyone in the game. She finished second in the Iga Swiatek on the 2023 Red Clay at the French Open and has also reached the semi-finals on the hard court in Flushing Meadows over the past two years, eliminating Osaka in the second round of 2024.
“She is a great player. I think she chose her own form again and it’s getting better and better. We can see (from) her results.” Last week surpassed Venus Williams in the first round. “Actually, we’re here to practice. So I hope there’s a very tough fight. Of course, it’s going to be a challenge.”
As for Osaka’s latest comeback changes, Mudova believes that the main thing is to get the rhythm through more competition.
Osaka has a huge serve and a huge forehand, and over the past 1 1/2 years, Osaka has pushed the top players but hasn’t always been able to fully get into the finish line, including when she holds the match point but can’t win a fantastic game at the Roland-Garros in 2024.
“I think the difference is that she just had more games (now) and was winning games, and I would say…she (she) once again believes she can be the best and she has more strokes,” Muchova said. “It’s really fast, it’s really good.”
