US Open champion Naomi Osaka is into her second Grand Slam quarter-final after another comeback win at the Australian Open, this time over Anastasija Sevastova.
Osaka had to work for nearly two hours on Rod Laver Arena to subdue the gritty Sevastova 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a fourth-round match studded by service breaks. She'll next play sixth-seeded Elina Svitolina, who had a 6-2, 1-6, 6-1 win over 2017 US Open finalist Madison Keys.
Osaka won a tight three-setter when she met Sevastova at the Brisbane International in the first week of the season.
13th seed Sevastova grabbed the lead in the opening set on Monday, 21 January, and clinched it with a deft drop shot that forced Osaka to fly a forehand over the baseline.
Osaka had to stave off two break points in the third game of the second to edge ahead.
The fourth-seeded Japanese grew in confidence from the narrow escape and lifted her tempo and shot-making consistency, grabbing the crucial service break in the sixth game.
Serving to level the match, Osaka fended off a break-back point with a brilliant forehand volley after a long, tense baseline rally. Two points later, the match was heading into the deciding set.
Osaka broke serve to open third set to maintain the momentum.
Svitolina Next for Osaka
Sixth-seeded Elina Svitolina advanced to the Australian Open quarter-finals with a momentum-swinging 6-2, 1-6, 6-1 win over 2017 US Open finalist Madison Keys.
The WTA Finals winner fended off five break points in a pivotal third game in the third set that went to deuce 11 times and lasted more than 15 minutes. She broke Keys’ serve at the first opportunity in the next game and finished off the match quickly.
It ended a comeback by Keys, who didn't quite find her range with her ground strokes and 34 unforced errors, including some very nears misses on big points.
Both players reached the quarter-finals here last year, but Keys had more success at the majors in 2018 when she progressed to the semifinals at the French and US Opens.
“I was happy I could handle the pressure at 1-1 in the third set,” Svitolina said. “It was very hard because the sun was just burning my eyes when I was tossing the ball. Very happy I could win that game.”
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