Source : ABC NEWS
Naomi Osaka, who was staring at a second-round return against Karolna Muchová, gave herself some basic tips as she battled to keep her Asian Open bend on track.
” I told myself to just jump, because that’s my game”, recounted Osaka.
” I can’t get anxious and let her push me around the judge,” she said.
There was nothing complicated about the directions and it proved successful, as Osaka went on to defeat 20th plant Muchová 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 in only under two hours.
” I think for me, what I changed … I just had to think in myself a lot more”, Osaka said.
” To me, after the first set, I told myself,’ OK, you’re kind of on your way out, but you’re going to try to put your foot in the door ‘”.
Osaka’s self-assurance was not solely based on her twice-winning American Open success.
She attributed her success in getting ready for the season-opening key to her ability to launch a return against Muchová.
Osaka, a former world number one, made the decision to compete in the Auckland Open two weeks ago, a competition in which she reached the final.
Osaka has played consecutive three-set matches at Melbourne Park. (Getty Images: Fred Lee)
Her comeback included a sour three-set triumph over Hailey Baptiste, which was forced to retire after the first cast against Clara Tauson according to an abdominal problem.
In a tiebreak, she lost the first set of her semifinal match against Baptiste before falling only three matches in the second and third to earn the victory.
Caroline Garcia even needed three models to defeat Osaka in the American Open’s first round on Monday night.
Simply having the experience from the first game really helped me, Osaka said,” I think if I had soon come here to Melbourne and had to sing Garcia and Muchová, and those were both three-set games.
” But, I wasn’t always worried that my game did pass away”.
Osaka ‘ really thankful’ to make next round
Osaka’s advance to the second round marks her first big final 32 appearance since 2022.
It is important to point out that she had a 15-month crack from the visit, during which time she gave birth to Shai in July 2023, before making a event return next season.
Osaka was first eliminated from the Australian Open last year, before going on to the next round in each of the other three degrees.
Ironically, she lost to Muchová in the second round at the US Open last August.
While Osaka, already ranked 51 in the world, has won four ‘ slams’, the importance of making the second round in Melbourne wasn’t lost on the 27-year-old.
” It certainly was something that is a goal of mine, especially after next time”, she said.
” I wasn’t able to beat a plant in a grand slam. I’m certainly extremely happy that that occurred so recently this year.
Osaka will play Belinda Bencic in the third round after the Swiss defeated Suzan Lamens 6-1, 7-6 ( 7/3 ) on Wednesday.
