By ESPN | Created at 2025-01-15 06:21:12 | Updated at 2025-01-15 10:45:03
5 hours ago
ESPN News Services
Jan 14, 2025, 11:19 PM ET
Two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka reached the third round of a major for the first time since 2022 when she weathered an early barrage from US Open semifinalist Karolina Muchova before rallying to win 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 on Wednesday.
Osaka improved to 21-6 (.778) in major three-set matches, tied with Billie Jean King for the third-best record in the Open era -- behind only Steffi Graff (.793) and Wendy Turnbull (.784).
"It took everything, I left everything out there on the court," said Osaka, who lost to Muchova in their previous two meetings.
Osaka lost in the first round here last year to Caroline Garcia in her comeback from maternity leave but avenged that with a first-round victory over Garcia this week.
Osaka said she used a loss to Muchova at the US Open as motivation.
"She crushed me in the US Open when I had my best outfit ever," Osaka joked in a postmatch interview. "I was so disappointed. I was so mad. This was my little revenge."
Osaka will next meet Belinda Bencic, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist who is playing in her first major since the birth of her daughter, Bella, last year.
Bencic leads their head-to-head meetings 3-2, though the two have not played since 2022.
ESPN Research, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
