Two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka thought for a number of moments after shedding a lopsided first set Wednesday, and it gave her the angle she wanted to show issues round and attain the third spherical of a Grand Slam event for the primary time since 2022.
“I simply instructed myself … if she beats me 6-1, 6-1, then she’s the best participant ever,” Osaka recalled after her 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 second-round win on the Australian Open over No. 20 Karolina Muchova. “Yeah, I simply tried to inform myself to battle.”
That she did, the four-time main winner matching the ability that final yr’s US Open semifinalist dropped at their contest on Kia Enviornment and discovering methods to beat her. Osaka improved to 21-6 (.778) in main three-set matches, tied with Billie Jean King for the third-best report within the Open period — behind solely Steffi Graff (.793) and Wendy Turnbull (.784).
“The rating within the first set was very dramatic, however there was key factors that I may have possibly received a recreation right here or there. So I stored attempting to inform myself that,” Osaka stated. “Yeah, simply strive to not dwell previously.”
Reflecting on the previous does not all the time damage, although. It was a second-round loss to Muchova on the US Open final yr that served as motivation.
“She crushed me within the U.S. Open once I had my finest outfit ever,” Osaka joked in a postmatch interview. “I used to be so upset. I used to be so mad. This was my little revenge.”
Osaka misplaced within the first spherical at Melbourne Park final yr to Caroline Garcia in Osaka’s comeback from maternity go away, however she avenged that with a first-round victory over Garcia earlier this week.
The 2-time Australian Open champion subsequent faces Belinda Bencic, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist who’s taking part in in her first main for the reason that delivery of her daughter, Bella, final yr.
Bencic leads their head-to-head conferences 3-2, although the 2 haven’t performed since 2022.
ESPN Analysis, The Related Press and Reuters contributed to this report.