Karolina Muchova shakes her hand with Naomi Osaka after having overcome it in straight sets in a second round match in US 2024 US Open. (Photo by Luke Hales / Getty Images)
(Luke Hales via Getty Images)
Naomi Osaka experienced an impressive start 2024 US Open. But this success was unfortunately ephemeral Thursday evening at the Arthur Ashe stadium.
Osaka followed her upheaval in the first round of the seeded n ° 10 Jelena Ostapenko on Tuesday losing against Karolina Muchova in two sets, 6-3, 7-6 (5). Muchova, who advanced to the United States semi-finals last year, mastered Osaka with her forehand in the first set and seemed to be in a difficult but fast victory.
However, Osaka retaliated in the second set to force an equality break in the second and seemed that the support of the crowd could raise it to extend the match to a third set.
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However, she wasted an advance of 40-0 to start the set, making several crucial errors on the yields that allowed Muchova to rally and bind. Osaka showed her frustration by bouncing her racket on the ground. By obtaining a new life, Muchova returned with strong services and blows that Osaka could not overcome, while apparently covering every corners of the courtyard.
Osaka won the US Open in 2018 and 2020 and remains extremely popular with fans. She entertained the crowd and social media with her elegant outfits punctuated by arcs at the back of her jacket, her top and her shoes. Her first -round victory over Ostapenko showed that she was returning to the player that she was before taking an interruption for her mental health in 2021.
Osaka's game has been incoherent since then, when it was falling into the world ranking. Last year, she withdrew from the Australian Open, announcing that she was pregnant with her first child. As should be expected, it was difficult to turn into the form higher at the same time physically and mentally.
“I don't feel like I am in my body,” she said earlier this month An Instagram publication. “It's a strange feeling, missing bullets that I shouldn't miss, hitting soft balls than I remember.”
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Osaka recognized this struggle after defeating Ostapenko, crying in a towel.
Expect that Osaka is progressing far in this year's tournament may have been too much, but overcoming a top 10 player for the first time in four years and showing a powerful service has shown that she was still capable of excellent game. Talk to journalistsShe admitted to feel nervous, which could be resolved by playing more from now on.
Muchova will face Anastasia Potapova in the third round. Potapova defeated Varvara Lepchenko in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.
