Caroline Garcia beat Naomi Osaka 6-4 7-6 (7-2) on Rod Laver Arena to reach the second round at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Osaka gave birth to her daughter Shai last July and made her come-back two weeks ago in Brisbane, where she lost to Karolina Pliskova in the second round. Osaka had defeated Garcia 6-2 6-3 in the second round of the 2021 Australian Open en route to her second title at Melbourne Park.
Garcia set up a second round clash against Magdalena Frech, who beat Daria Seville 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-5 in 3 hours and 13 minutes in the longest women’s match of the tournament this year.
Garcia did not face a break point during the whole match, while Osaka faced break points in two games.
Garcia earned the first break in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead after Osaka made a double fault and hit a forehand into the net. The Japanese saved two break points in the seventh game to hold serve in the seventh game for 3-4. Garcia served out the first set at 30 in the 10th game.
Only one point was won by the returner in the first six games of the second set which went on serve en route to the tie-break. Garcia hit forehand winners to earn the first two match points and converted her first match point as Osaka netted a backhand.
Garcia fired 13 aces to Osaka’s 11 and hit 34 winners to Osaka’s 20. The French player committed 24 unforced errors to Osaka’s 25 and won seven out the nine points at net.
The result of the match guarantees a new Australian Open quarter finalist. Osaka was the only player in this section of the set to have reached the quarter final here. The only other players in this section to have reached any Grand Slam quarter final are Caroline Garcia and Leylah Fernandez.
“I have a lot of respect for Naomi as a person and a player. We all know she had an amazing player. She has been through a lot and I am glad she is back. I hope that she can enjoy tennis now and have fun out there. She is a great girl and has done so much for tennis in the past few years. Six months after giving birth, she is playing amazing already. We have to watch out”, said Garcia.
