Kasatkina trying to enter uncharted territory but Osaka stands in her way

Source : ABC NEWS

Daria Kasatkina has booked a Wimbledon date with Naomi Osaka after a two-hour-and-37-minute slugfest victory over Indonesia’s Janice Tjen.

Kasatkina, the Australian number two, won 6-7 (5/7), 6-1, 6-4 to become the first Australian into the third round of the grass-court slam.

Osaka, who beat Anastasia Gasanova 6-3, 6-2, may appear a daunting opponent as a four-time grand slam champion, but the former world number one has never gone beyond this stage at Wimbledon.

Kasatkina was pleased to hear this, having outlined how Osaka has all the right tools for grass.

“It’s obviously a very tough draw and a very tough match, especially on grass. I never beat her before, so it’s not a perfect situation for me, but also less pressure for me,” she said.

“She’s got a very good serve, good shots, she’s trying to attack all the time on grass. It’s the best tactic on grass.”

Osaka showed off a new look again before winning her second-round match.

Osaka, whose fashion reveals have become an event of their own at grand slam tournaments, wore a less elaborate outfit for her walk-on than the Kill Bill-inspired kimono she sported for her opening-round match.

It still drew plenty of attention as she made the walk from the locker room to court two, trailed by photographers and fans wanting their own photos.

This all-white outfit featured a wide belt and a long, trailing train, which the four-time major winner took off as she began warming up for a match against qualifier Gasanova that was over in just 67 minutes.

“I’m just trying to mix it up a little bit,” Osaka said about her outfit, adding she had been worried a loss might have ruined her daughter Shai’s third birthday on Thursday.

“I just wanted to be here for longer. I didn’t want to make her get on a plane on her birthday.”

Kasatkina has not gone beyond the third round here either, but if she can reproduce the form she showed in the middle set against Tjen she has a real chance.

Having revealed before the tournament she had “very low expectations”, she said her confidence was rising.

“In tennis, it’s very easy. You win matches, you feel better. You lose matches, you feel worse,” she said.

“The first match I won was, we call it a ‘dirty win’, when you win with whatever, just being there, fighting.

“Today was more playing better. Choosing the right things to do and executing well, so really happy with today.”

French Open champ reduced to tears in early loss

It took seven match points, but eventually Barbora Krejčíková has knocked French Open champion Mirra Andreeva out in the biggest upset of the women’s tournament so far, winning 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Andreeva faced six match points when 2024 Wimbledon winner Krejčíková served for the match at 5-3 and saved them all before finally converting her fourth break point in a marathon game.

The 19-year-old Russian handed her opponent a seventh match point when she sliced a backhand wide in the next game, and this time Krejčíková converted with a bit of luck as her shot hit the net cord and bounced in, with Andreeva returning it long.

Fifth seed Andreeva, coming off her first grand slam title at Roland Garros less than a month ago, threw her racket away in disgust and later smashed it into her bag before leaving centre court.

“What a match,” Krejčíková said, trying to sum it all up.

In her post-match press conference, Andreeva was asked how difficult it was to process the emotions of the loss and had to pause to wipe away her tears as she answered.

“I think I’m gonna need a couple of days,” she said, before stopping and being offered some tissues and the chance to stop the media call.

“Sorry. It’s gonna take some time. Maybe a couple days. Then I’m gonna be back to practice for hard courts.

“I don’t know where the next tournaments are gonna be. I still need to talk to my team to see where I’m gonna play next.”

Earlier, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka advanced in straight sets, with Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka also reaching the third round.

Krejčíková is a two-time Grand Slam winner, also taking the 2021 French Open title, but has struggled with back and knee injuries and has fallen to number 38 in the rankings.

Andreeva had shown signs of frustration throughout the third set — including when her bead bracelet broke during a point at 1-1, and she had to spend a few moments picking beads out of the grass along the baseline and throwing them toward the back of the court.

Two ball kids and the chair umpire joined her in cleaning up before play resumed.

There were also some loud cheers during the third set that had nothing to do with tennis. Some in the centre court crowd had half an eye on England’s World Cup match against Congo and celebrated both of Harry Kane’s goals and the final whistle.

Gauff celebrates breakout anniversary

Gauff came from a break down in the third set and then won the last six points of the tiebreaker to beat Solana Sierra 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7).

Gauff was two points away from losing the match when Sierra served at 5-4 in the third set,, but won three straight points to break back.

In the 10-point tiebreaker, she trailed 7-4 but did not lose another point, sealing the win with an ace and then screaming out loud with both fists clenched.

“When she had to serve for the match I just reminded myself that I’m a great returner as well,” Gauff said.

“I was just trying to be positive, and I think that showed.”

Gauff had her breakthrough at Wimbledon in 2019 when she reached the fourth round as a 15-year-old, beating Venus Williams in the first round.

But while she has won both the US Open and the French Open since then, she has yet to make the quarterfinals at the All England Club despite two more trips to the fourth round.

As it happens, that win over Williams came seven years ago to the day on the same court.

“It was kind of my breakout moment, and playing against one of my idols was insane,” Gauff said.

“Every time I walk down this hallway I get deja vu and I just remind myself, like, if I could do that [seven] years ago, I’m definitely a better player since then. So I definitely can do it now.”

Sabalenka soon followed into the third round, beating McCartney Kessler 6-1, 7-6 (11/9) on court one.

ABC/AP/AAP