Making the quarterfinals at a tournament used to be no big deal for Naomi Osaka. It was only a shock if it didn바카라™t happen. (More Tennis News)
This is just the second time Naomi Osaka has managed to advance into the quarterfinal of any tournament over the last year.
Making the quarterfinals at a tournament used to be no big deal for Naomi Osaka. It was only a shock if it didn바카라™t happen. (More Tennis News)
Things are a bit different now.
The former world No. 1 has made it through to the quarterfinals at the Miami Open 바카라” just the second time she has managed to advance that deep in any tournament over the last year. Osaka beat Alison Riske of the U.S. 6-3, 6-4 on Monday, moving into a round-of-eight matchup with Danielle Collins.
Osaka바카라™s only other quarterfinal appearance in the last year was at an Australian Open warmup tournament in Melbourne in January. Before that, her most recent quarterfinals trip was at Miami a year ago.
바카라śIt바카라™s really funny for me, because last year here I made it to the quarters, too,바카라ť Osaka said. 바카라śIt was after I won Australia and I wasn바카라™t that grateful. I kind of expected to win.바카라ť
Wins these days just mean more, after ongoing struggles and time away from the game to deal with her mental health. Her ranking has dipped to No. 77 바카라” it could get somewhere around No. 30 if she wins the Miami title 바카라” and she hasn바카라™t won a tournament since that Australian Open last year.
But her stay in Miami so far has been nothing but happiness, with three easy wins 바카라” all in straight sets 바카라” and the added benefit of a walkover victory in there as well.
바카라śThis is really one of the funnest times of my life,바카라ť Osaka said. 바카라śI바카라™m really grateful.바카라ť
Collins, the No. 9 seed from the U.S., needed just over an hour Monday to win her fourth-round match against No. 8 Ons Jabeur, 6-2, 6-4.
The win likely ensured that Collins is locked into the top 10 when the world rankings reset early next week. She could be as high as No. 8 depending on how far others go in the tournament.
Collins is 0-2 in previous matches against Osaka, both straight-set losses on hard courts, one in 2018, the other in 2019.
바카라śWhen Naomi is at the top of her game, she바카라™s very, very hard to beat,바카라ť Collins said.
Daria Saville also got into the quarterfinals, surviving a three-hour match to beat Lucia Bronzetti 5-7, 6-4, 7-5. Saville has climbed a staggering 500 spots in the rankings in about a month and a half; she was 627th in the world in mid-February and could make the top 100 if she wins her next match against No. 22 Belinda Bencic 바카라” a 6-2, 6-3 winner Monday over Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
No. 2 Iga Swiatek, who is already assured of moving to No. 1 next week, also rolled into the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-1 win over No. 14 Coco Gauff.
바카라śI was in a good mood today and (in a) good zone,바카라ť Swiatek said. 바카라śI was really focused. Sometimes I have these kind of moments where I don바카라™t even know what the score is. That바카라™s nice, because you바카라™re just focusing on tennis and tactics and technique.바카라ť
Swiatek will next play No. 28 Petra Kvitova, a 7-6 (5), 6-4 winner over No. 21 Veronika Kudermetova.
No. 16 Jessica Pegula also advanced; unseeded Anhelina Kalinina retired after Pegula won the first set 6-0. Pegula will play either No. 5 Paula Badosa or Linda Fruhvirtova in the quarterfinals.
In the men바카라™s third round, Daniil Medvedev is now two wins away from reclaiming the No. 1 ranking.
The top seed in Miami beat Spain바카라™s Pedro Martinez 6-3, 6-4. A trip to the semifinals is all it would take for Medvedev to leapfrog Novak Djokovic 바카라” who can바카라™t travel to the U.S. because he isn바카라™t vaccinated against COVID-19 바카라” and return to No. 1.
Next up for Medvedev: American Jenson Brooksby, who rallied from 0-4 down in the third set to upset No. 15 Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
바카라śI competed until the end,바카라ť Brooksby said.
No. 11 Taylor Fritz 바카라” seeking the so-called 바카라śSunshine Double,바카라ť meaning tournament wins at both Indian Wells and Miami 바카라” topped good friend Tommy Paul 7-6 (2), 6-4 in an all-American third-round matchup.
No. 3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas beat No. 25 Alex de Minaur, 6-4, 6-3. Defending champion Hubert Hurkacz also advanced, the No. 8 seed fighting past No. 29 Aslan Karatsev 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. No. 14 Carlos Alcaraz got by No. 21 Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4.