Naomi Osaka Storms into Miami Open Quarterfinals
Key Points(5)
- Osaka won 12 of 19 games and 78 points to Riske’s 66.
- She also won 7 percent more of her first and second serves to dispatch Riske and march to her second round of eight in consecutive Miami tournaments.
- The Japanese received a walkover in her last game as Karolia Muchova withdrew because of injury.
- Her second-round opponent was Angelique Kerber, who she defeated 6:2, 6:3.
- The four-time grand slam champion played with power and control, especially from the baseline.
Former world number 1 Naomi Osaka, made an easy meal of Alison Riske at the 2022 Miami Open Tennis tournament, to storm into the quarterfinals with a 6:3, 6:4 win over her American opponent.
Osaka won 12 of 19 games and 78 points to Riske’s 66. She also won 7 percent more of her first and second serves to dispatch Riske and march to her second round of eight in consecutive Miami tournaments. The Japanese received a walkover in her last game as Karolia Muchova withdrew because of injury. Her second-round opponent was Angelique Kerber, who she defeated 6:2, 6:3.
The four-time grand slam champion played with power and control, especially from the baseline.
Naomi took the first three games before Alison held her serve in the fourth. The first game went for nearly ten minutes and included six deuces, with Naomi saving four breakpoints. Three games later, Osaka was up 5:2 but could not close out the first set as Allison pushed her to five set points before extending her games to 3. Osaka then took the set on her serve to end it at 6:3
In the second set, Alison started off taking home the first two games, but Osaka won the next four to go up 4:2. Alison pulled one back in the seventh before Naomi went up 5:3 on her serve. She again had difficulty finishing off her opponent as Riske stuck in for another game. Osaka gave up one point on her next serve to take it 6:4
Naomi Osaka now leads the head-to-head 3:2 between both players. In the quarterfinals, she will play another American, Danielle Collins, who won against Ons Jabeur earlier today. Collins and Osaka met on two previous occasions, and the Japanese took both matches in straight sets.
After the match, Osaka said: "It’s really funny for me because last year I made the quarters too after I won the Australian Open and I wasn’t that grateful, I kind of expected to win. But I am in the same position this year, and this is one of the funniest times of my life, so I’m really grateful."
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