"I showed myself how much I matured" - Osaka after comeback win in Miami

Naomi Osaka of Japan overcame one of her most challenging rivals in the Miami Open semifinals on Thursday afternoon, outlasting No.22 seed Belinda Bencic 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach her first Miami final.

Osaka took just over two hours to pull off her comeback victory over Switzerland’s Bencic and reach her fourth career WTA 1000 final. Osaka will aim for her third WTA 1000 title, following crowns at 2018 Indian Wells and 2019 Beijing. She said:

"In the second set I just told myself, 'Listen, if she beats you, someone is going to have to carry you off the court in a stretcher, because you're going to fight for everything. I think I just got opportunities and I was able to see them as opportunities. So I was able to push myself through it.I'm honestly glad that this was such a tough match, because I feel like you need that learning experience, and I learned a lot from today."

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Asked about being composed enough to battle back, Osaka said:

"I was thinking I have been in this position with her before, because I have played her multiple times. But I felt like all those times I have kind of been panicked. I was just telling myself, 'This is a really good chance to show yourself how much you have matured ... Just try not to repeat the mistakes that you have made before."

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