January 22, 2025
Two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka rallied from a set down to defeat No.20 seed Karolina Muchova 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 in the second round of the Australian Open on Wednesday.
Coming off her rousing 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over Caroline Garcia in the first round, Osaka overcame a slow start to reel in last year’s US Open semifinalist to advance to the third round at a Grand Slam for the first time since her return from maternity leave.
“It means a lot,” Osaka said on court. “She’s an incredibly difficult opponent for me to play. She crushed me at the US Open when I had my best outfit ever. I was so disappointed. I was so mad.
“I’m glad I got my revenge. It’s not a bad thing, revenge is competitive. She’s one of the toughest opponents out there.”
Osaka began her 2025 Hologic WTA Tour season at the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. En route to her first tournament final since 2022 Miami, Osaka spoke of a renewed understanding of what she needs to do to tally the results she desperately needs to go deep at tournaments consistently.
“I’ve said this for years,” Osaka said in Auckland, “I’m not the most talented player but I feel like I work the hardest and that gives me a lot of confidence. But when you into a fistfight with another person, in the end, it’s who wants it more.
“Last year it was really difficult for me to get that mindset and you could see that in a lot of my matches. I think the tennis was there throughout the whole entire year, but it was more of a mindset thing. I think now, here, I think I’m ready for the battle.”
It will be a battle of the moms in the third round as Osaka faces a returning Belinda Bencic, who is playing her first Grand Slam since giving birth to her daughter Bella. Bencic has been another tough adversary throughout her career, with the Swiss owning a 3-2 record over Osaka.
“I think it’s going to be a fun match,” Bencic said after her 6-1, 7-6(3) win over Suzan Lamens. “I think she beat me last time, but I have a good record against her. But it doesn’t really mean anything anymore. I feel good to play her. I think it’s going to be a nice match. Hopefully on a big court.
“Really enjoying. to be in the third round and to have an opportunity like this.”
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