Naomi Osaka's second-round match at the Australian Open got off to a dreadful start. After just 21 minutes, she hit a forehand service return far beyond the baseline, quickly finding herself 5-0 down, reports AP.
At the changeover, Osaka walked to the sideline, sat down, and covered her head with a white towel, shutting out everything around her and focusing only on her thoughts. She remained like this throughout the break, even managing to drink water under the towel.
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This wasn't just any opponent; it was 20th-seeded Karolina Muchova, the 2023 French Open runner-up and a three-time Grand Slam semifinalist, including at Melbourne Park in 2021. Muchova had beaten Osaka in their two previous meetings, but none of that mattered. Osaka put the tough start behind her and fought back to win 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 on Wednesday.
Explaining her mindset, Osaka said, “Just be aware and try not to get so negative on yourself. The first set score was dramatic, but there were key moments where I could have won a game or two, so I kept telling myself that.”
This victory was meaningful for Osaka, who once ruled women's tennis, claiming four Grand Slam titles and rising to No. 1 in the WTA rankings. Reaching the third round of a major for the first time since 2022 marked a return to form after taking breaks for mental health and then pregnancy. Osaka’s daughter, Shai, was born in July 2023.
Since her return to tennis a year ago, Osaka has shown signs of regaining her form, including a narrow loss to world No. 1 Iga Swiatek at the French Open. This win in Melbourne, following a victory over Caroline Garcia, confirms her progress.
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Osaka shared, “It definitely was a goal of mine, especially after last year when I didn’t beat a seed in a Grand Slam. I’m grateful it happened so early this year.”
She also joked about getting “revenge” on Garcia, who beat her in Melbourne last year, and Muchova, both in consecutive matches.
Next up for Osaka is a clash with Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Belinda Bencic, another mother, whose daughter, Bella, was also born last year. Both players are known for their powerful play.
Bencic said, “It's going to be a fun match.”
Meanwhile, Muchova wasn't the highest-seeded player to exit Wednesday. That distinction went to No. 5 Zheng Qinwen, the 2024 Australian Open runner-up, who lost focus after being penalised for a time violation and was defeated 7-6 (3), 6-3 by 97th-ranked Laura Siegemund.
“I knew I just had to play more than my best tennis,” said the 36-year-old Siegemund.
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Aryna Sabalenka, the No. 1 seed and last year’s Australian Open champion, extended her Melbourne Park winning streak to 16 matches by defeating No. 54 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3, 7-5, as she aims for a third consecutive title.
Other women who won included No. 7 Jessica Pegula, No. 14 Mirra Andreeva, and No. 30 Leylah Fernandez, with 2023 U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff playing during the night session.
Novak Djokovic set another record by playing in his 430th Grand Slam match, surpassing Roger Federer. Despite dropping a set for the second consecutive match, Djokovic advanced to the third round with a 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2 win over Jaime Faria.
Other men who moved on included No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, who joked about his “serve bot” status after hitting 14 aces in a 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 win over Yoshihito Nishioka.