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Tag: Naomi Osaka

  • World number one Osaka withdraws from Qatar Open

    World number one Osaka withdraws from Qatar Open

    World number one Naomi Osaka has pulled out of next week’s Qatar Open with a back injury.

    It was scheduled to be the Japanese’s first tournament since triumphing in the Australian Open in January to win back-to-back Grand Slam titles.

    “I am sorry to have to withdraw from Doha this year as I was looking forward to playing and seeing my fans there,” the 21-year-old said in a statement.

    “I wish everyone a great week and hope to see everyone next year.”

    Osaka has previously suffered with a back injury, missing October’s Hong Kong Open with the problem.

  • Tennis: Osaka defeats Kvitova, wins first Australian Open title

    Tennis: Osaka defeats Kvitova, wins first Australian Open title

    Japanese sensation Naomi Osaka broke into tears after winning her first Australian Open title by defeating Petra Kvitova 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 4-6 in Saturday’s final.

    Osaka overcame the Czech star in a seesaw final to win back-to-back Grand Slams and become the new world number one.

    However, victory seemed to be inevitable for Osaka before Kvitova broke back for 5-5 on her way to winning 12 points in a row to lead for the first time since the start of the second set.

    She regained focus to take a decisive advantage in the decider, going on to replicate American Jennifer Capriati’s achievement of winning her first two Grand Slams back to back.

    The fourth seed broke for 2-1 in the decider, then served out to clinch victory in Melbourne.

    Eighth seed Kvitova, 28, was bidding for her first major title since being stabbed in a knife attack.

    Naomi Osaka is now the youngest player to hold the top spot since Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki, then aged 20, took the ranking in 2010.

     

  • Australian Open: Osaka defeat Svitolina to reach semi-finals

    Australian Open: Osaka defeat Svitolina to reach semi-finals

    Naomi Osaka dominated Elina Svitolina to win in straight sets and reach the Australian Open semi-finals.

    The Japanese US Open champion, 21, had too much firepower for Svitolina, triumphing 6-4 6-1 in Melbourne.

    Sixth seed Svitolina, who is still to go beyond the quarter-finals at a Grand Slam, received treatment for a neck and shoulder injury during the second set.

    Osaka will face Karolina Pliskova in the last four on Thursday after the Czech player overcame Serena Williams.

    The seventh seed fought from 5-1 down in the decider and saved four match points to record a 6-4 4-6 7-5 win.

    Fourth seed Osaka says that winning the US Open in September has given her the taste of success in the biggest events.

    “I know that a few months ago I would have given anything to be in the semi-finals of a Slam,” she said.

    “But it’s this weird feeling of, like, you want to do the next big thing. Especially now that I won a Grand Slam, I feel like I want to win another on.

    “I’m so close and I just want to keep going.”

    BBC

     

  • Australian Open: Osaka, Svitolina through to quarter-finals

    Australian Open: Osaka, Svitolina through to quarter-finals

    US Open champion Naomi Osaka came from behind to beat Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova and reach the Australian Open quarter-finals.

    The Japanese fourth seed won 4-6 6-3 6-4 to set up a meeting with sixth seed Elina Svitolina.

    Ukraine’s Svitolina triumphed 6-2 1-6 6-1 in a pulsating encounter with former US Open finalist Madison Keys.

    Both Svitolina and Osaka have been taken to three sets in their past two matches here.

    Svitolina broke twice to take the first set but Keys won five games in a row and hit 16 winners as she went on to dominate the second.

    The Ukrainian then held off five break points in a 16-minute game in the third set on her way to victory.

  • Sloane Stephens beats Osaka at WTA Finals

    American Sloane Stephens produced a dominant final set to beat US Open champion Naomi Osaka at the WTA Finals.

    The pair traded several breaks of serve in the first set but Stephens, 25, edged it 7-5 in 52 minutes.
    Osaka, 21, rallied and closed out a 55-minute second set 6-4.
    Japan’s Osaka had a break point when 1-0 down in the decider but failed to challenge a call when Stephens appeared to double-fault, and her rival surged to a 7-5 4-6 6-1 win.
    Osaka’s serve deserted her in the final set as she was broken three times.
    In all she produced 46 unforced errors, compared with 31 from Stephens – Osaka’s immediate predecessor as US Open champion.
    Stephens, who later said the surface at the Singapore venue was providing “weird” bounce, joins Czech player Karolína Pliskova and Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina as victors in their opening matches of the WTA Finals.
    The event features the leading eight players this year, split into two groups of four.
    The top two players from each round-robin group will progress to the semi-finals, with the final on 28 October.
    Germany’s Angelique Kerber takes on Dutch player Kiki Bertens later on Monday.