Japan’s Naomi Osaka illustrated why she is one of the favourites to win the Australian Open title with a one-sided triumph over former quarter-finalist Ons Jabeur in the third round.
The third seed eased to a 6-3, 6-2, win over the Tunisian in just under 80 minutes on Friday with the help of eight aces and 26 winners. Throughout her latest clash she dropped serve only once in the first set as she broke her opponent four times. However, a critical Osaka admits that she isn’t completely happy about her latest performance at the Grand Slam.
“My biggest thing I wanted to focus on was my serve and my return because those are the things that I can control,” she explained. “I don’t know what would happen during the point, but I do know that I can control if I can get the return back and I can control how I start off my serves. So I was just basing my entire plan around that.’
“For me, I felt like I wasn’t playing that well, my unforced error rate was probably really high, but I’m really happy with how I fought.”
Osaka’s unforced error tally in her latest match was 28 which is just five behind Jabeur. Furthermore, her second service winning rate was just 48% which is her worst number so far in the tournament.
The latest showdown at Melbourne Park was one which the former world No.1 eagerly anticipated after never previously playing Jabeur before. Taking on a player for the first time can be daunting for some, but Osaka says she takes it in her stroll and no longer enter matches with what she described as ‘negative feelings.’ A sign of growing mental maturity from the 23-year-old.
“I don’t really have negative feelings going into matches anymore. I was kind of more excited than anything to play her because I always watch her play on TV, and it looks really fun,” she said.
“And for me, I feel like just having that variety in the game, I’m glad that everyone doesn’t play the same. For me, I wasn’t negative going into the match, I was more excited.”
There will be no time for any sense of negativity for Osaka entering her next match where she faces another former world No.1 in the shape of Garbine Muguruza. The Spaniard reached the final of the Australian Open last year, as well as the Yarra Valley Classic last week.
Osaka hasn’t played the Spaniard on the Tour before but has practiced with her a couple years ago. As a young player she recalls being impressed by the rise of Muguruza who has won two Grand Slam titles.
“I’ve watched her like win Wimbledon and win the French Open when I was younger, and I’ve always wanted to have the chance to play her. So for me, this is really exciting,” she previewed.
“Muguruza might be a bit more like my taste. Like she’s not as unpredictable as Ons is. But I’m just basing this on like the previous matches I’ve watched.”
Osaka, who won the Australian Open in 2019, is through to the fourth round for only the third time in her career.
