Naomi Osaka advances to her first Australian Open quarterfinal

Melbourne: Japanese tennis rising star Naomi Osaka advanced her first Australian Open quarterfinal after defeating Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia in women’s singles event at the Rod Laver Arena on Monday.

US Open champion kept her winning streak alive, rallying from a set down to outlast number 13 seed by 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the match that lasted one hour and 47 minutes.

“I think I believe in myself more this year than I have last year. Like in Brisbane International, I played the same sort of match, like, I lost the first set and managed to win again. And it was against the same player. So I think am just having that experience. I feel like during the first set, I might have tried to over-hit or she (Sevastova) was returning a lot of balls. So I thought I had to go for more than I did. In the second and third set, I calmed down and I tried to think that I should play within my boundaries,” Australian Open quoted Osaka, as saying.

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The world number four made a comeback from a set down.

In the opening set, Sevastova scored the only service break and held on without facing a breakpoint. Osaka, meanwhile, used her patient approach in the second set, working her way into points before pulling the trigger. The Japanese began the decider with a chance for a double break lead after winning the first two games.

Sevastova, however, pushed back in an attempt to save a break point and even the score after a thrilling sixth game. Down with three match points, the Latvian swung a forehand away at the net to save the first, but Osaka, who was not deterred, clinched her spot in the last eight.

Also Read | Serena Williams begins Australian Open campaign with a bang

Osaka will next meet number sixth seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine. (ANI)

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