Former champion Naomi Osaka is gaining in momentum at the US Open after easing her way into the quarter-finals of the US Open.
The fourth seed didn’t face a single break point throughout her 6-3, 6-4, win over Annette Kontaveit in what was her second triumph over the Estonian within as many weeks on the Tour. In her latest encounter Osaka won 84% of her first service points and produced 21 winners to reach the last eight in New York for the second time in her career. The latest victory is also her 20th in the main draw of a Grand Slam.
“I feel like the most important thing that I wanted to do was start being really positive from the get-go, like sort of overwhelm her in a sense,” Osaka said during her press conference.
“I think I did that fairly well. Compared to my last match I played her in Cincinnati, the first game was good,but I was a bit moody. I wasn’t that focused on the match. For me, it was really important, like, the turnaround time and my attitude to be very positive.”
The 22-year-old has endured a roller-coaster journey so far in New York. In her past four matches she has been pushed to three sets twice by Misaki Doi in the first round and Marta Kostyuk in the third. However, in her other two matches, including the one against Kontaveit, she breezed through.
The next test for the Japanese player will be Shelby Rogers who defeated Petra Kvitova in a marathon clash. The world No.93 saved four match points before stunning two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(6), after more than two-and-a-half hours of play. It is the second time she has reached the quarter-finals of a major after also doing so at the 2016 French Open.
“I just remember playing Shelby in Charleston. I don’t know, it feels like such a long time ago. I have to definitely watch a couple more matches of hers. I watched her toward the end of the Kvitova match. But I’ll have to talk to Wim (her coach) about it,” said Osaka.
“it’s going to be challenging. She’s in the quarters of a slam. She’s a great player. If I remember I think she has a great serve and she’s a good returner.”
Despite being the overwhelming favourite on paper against Rogers, Osaka has previously encountered difficulty against the American on Tour. In fact, in their head-to-head she trails 0-3 but they haven’t played each since the 2017 Charleston Open which was before Osaka won either of her Grand Slam titles.
“I’ll just have to focus on myself, what I can do on the court as well. Hopefully bring my best tennis because I’m going to need it,” Rogers said about the upcoming clash.
Osaka is just one out of three top-10 seeds remaining in the women’s seeds this year. The other two are Serena Williams and Sofia Kenin who will play their fourth rounds matches on Monday.
