Former world no. 1 Naomi Osaka finished the run of Karolina Muchova on the US Open in the last of the quarterfinals that were played in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday evening and will meet the surprise semi-finalist Amanda Anisimova for a place in New York.
It means so much, I am so surprised that I don’t cry. There is so much hard work that you have not seen, but I am very grateful to my team and I am happy to be healthy. She is one of the most difficult players I can play and I have played her so often. She defeated me a few times and she defeated me here last year, so I knew it would be a very tough competition. Naomi Osaka
Osaka, who has won the US Open twice, used her recovered shape to see Muchova, 6-4 7-6 (3), in an exciting meeting.
“It was an incredibly difficult match,” Osaka said in her interview on the field. “She is one of the best players in the world, and every time I play her, it’s so difficult.
“Last year she beat me here when I had one of my best outfits, so I was really upset,” she added, laughing out of the crowd. ‘I am just very grateful that I am here.
‘It’s my first time in a semi now [as a mom]. I was watching there and hoped that I can get the chance to play on the field again, so this is as if my dream comes true. “
Since the return to the Tour last year, Osaka Wildcard deposits needed to be in tournaments and confronted with stacked Grand Slam-equal game as a non-SEEDED player, a challenge that made her frustrated, but after she had reached the final in Montreal at the end of July, she arrived in New York in New York.
The 27-year-old lost only one in the first week and started the second with a statement victory over No 3 Seed Coco Gauff to book the Muchova Rematch in the last 8.
Achieving progress to her 3rd career semi -final in New York and 5th in general with a large one carries extra meaning, because it is the first Grand Slam in Osaka last 4 appearance since he became a mother.
“I was really inspired by all the mothers on tour,” Osaka said after the game. “But I also have this feeling, such as, I am not doing well enough, or that I am left behind. And, I think, when all the mothers came back and they did well, I felt that something was wrong with me.
‘I know that Belinda [Bencic] Made the semi -final of Wimbledon, so I just felt really, I lost a race in a kind of strange way, so yes, that was in my mind, but now I am here, and I feel that a weight of my shoulders has been lifted. “
Naomi Osaka and Karolina Muchova produced an exciting, high quality match in their quarterfinals at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday evening
© Al Bello/Getty images
The Japanese are in fact a 4-time Grand SLAM champion and fairly familiar with the Ashe environment, while she has improved her record in great quarter-finals to 13-0, in the knowledge that when she reaches this phase of a championships, she has won the title historically.
Muchova, from the Czech Republic, was a real challenge as one of the ultimate craftswomen of the game, while Osaka is one of the ultimate ball strikers, and together they produced the most fascinating tennis, the largest court in sport has already seen the tournament.
Even with Muchova impeded by an injury to the left-thigh, they showed what makes their games distinctive, while also throwing the skills in relief that each of the other people have borrowed.
Osaka combined her famous power and precision with an improved movement around the vast Ashe Stadium and solved the problem of the difficult Czech and denied Muchova a 3rd straight our open semi-final show.
The opening set was tightly disputed and dominated by Serve, with both by the first 9 games, and the only breaking point that came first, when Muchova threatened, and Osaka knew with a Forehand winner, only one of the many that she had unleashed all night.
Then, almost out of nowhere, Osaka Muchova broke into the last game of the set and forced the Czech Republic in a trio of non -characteristic mistakes.
Muchova left the court for a medical time-out between sets and returned with tape on her left leg, an area that she had also treated on Monday in her 3-set victory against Marta Kostyuk.
Osaka had the upper hand in the first set by hitting large places, using the efficient Power Game she shown last month, together with Tomasz Wiktorowski, the coach of Iga Swiateek for 4 of her first 5 Grand Slam titles.
“It means so much, I am so surprised that I am not crying,” said Osaka. “There is so much hard work that you have not seen, but I am really grateful to my team and am happy to be healthy.”
Naomi Osaka’s dress shone just as much as her tennis against Karolina Muchova under the lights on day 11 of the US Open in the Usta Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York
© Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty images
Muchova, who sometimes seemed uncomfortable between points, continued to fight when the ball was in the game, Osaka broke in the first match of the second set, she broke a series of 18 consecutive service for the Japanese.
Showing the grit of a 4-way Grand Slam champion, and the resilience of a mother, broke back Osaka immediately.
The Czech threw every trick she had in Osaka, including lobs, drop-shots that flowed into the corners while he went to the net to end points quickly, or stay back, tried to surpass her, but, more often than not, had Osaka answers for everything.
When Muchova again broke on 4-all and instructed himself to serve for the second set, the Japanese with a Forehandsmash winner responded to break to love.
“I don’t even remember it,” said Osaka. “But she is one of the most difficult players I can play and I played her so often. She defeated me a few times and she defeated me here last year, so I knew it would be a very tough game.”
Two crucial matches followed, when Osaka rediscovered her strength and immediately broke back from 5-5, who sent Muchova from corner to corner with non-reversing baseline Play.
The 23rd seed then fought 2 breaking points in a 12-point game, the longest of the game, before the Czech sent it in a tiebreak, in which Osaka set the tone with a large forehand, her 31st and final winner of the game, which she needed, as Muchova had sealed in the Japan, she had sealed.
“In the past I might be distracted and I might be able to pull it on the third set,” she said. “I am absolutely much more focused and I am aware of the point structure, and also how important it is to try to save energy if you can.”
Osaka also revealed what she has learned since they returned to the Tour at the beginning of 2024 after the birth of her daughter the previous year.
“Yes, I mean, I learned that I love tennis much more than I thought I did, and I learned that, you know, I really love challenges,” the 27-year-old explained. “You know, it’s like a video game. You pick it up and even if you lose the level, you start, just resume and keep going until you finally win. And I think it is a bit difficult at some times, but I wouldn’t trade it in for the world.”
Karolina Muchova has struggled with a left-wing DIGH edition and had her leg tied up after the first set against Naomi Osaka in their quarter-final match
© Matthew Stockman/Getty images
Among the players who started their career in the open era, Osaka is the 3rd woman who wins each of her first 5 Grand Slam quart finals and joins Chris Evert and Aryna Sabalenka.
Speaking of Sabalenka, she will be confronted on Thursday evening opposite Jessica Pegula in the first semifinal, while Osaka Amanda will meet Anisimova with a place in the US Open final on the line.
Osaka anticipates a challenge while she is looking for her first victory against the American.
“It is definitely very difficult,” said Osaka. “I played her twice and I have lost both times. She is so talented and she can hit a winner everywhere. So I know it will be difficult, and I really like her as a person, so I cheer for her.”
She smiled and clarified: “I don’t cheer against me for her, but yes, it will be fun. Plus, she is American, and you know, this tournament also means a lot to her.”
Anisimova has a 2-0 record against Osaka at the WTA level, after they have won both earlier meetings in Grand Slams in 2022, first on the Australian Open and then again at Roland Garros.
The American upset Swiatek, the no. 2 seed, 6-4 6-3, during the day session, and with the departure of the post Osaka’s 4 slam titles all semi-finalists, with Sabalenka on 3, while Pegula and Anisimova chase their first.
The 4 crowns of Osaka came in two packs, because she immediately followed her US Open Triumph 2018 with the Australian Open Trophy 2019 and then followed the same titles template to win here in 2020 and in Melbourne in 2021.
By making the last 4 at Flushing Meadows, Osaka has raised her scoring by 710 to 2,489, which has seen her from 24 to 14th in the live rankings.
The former world no.
In the meantime, Muchova, who reached the French final in 2023 and lost to Swiatek, stopped her 5th career great semi-final, and her search for a first Grand Slam title will be postponed until next season.
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