MATCH REPORT | 2024 China Open: Naomi Osaka seals first set down win since Miami 2022 to continue successful Beijing return
WTA
Naomi Osaka is back in Beijing as the former champion this week and is playing some superb back against the wall tennis as she defeated Yulia Putintseva in three sets at the China Open.
It is also a landmark win for the former World No.1 this week as she hasn't won a three set match after being down a set since Miami back in 2022 so before she returned to action earlier this season.
This week has also seen the hiring and first airing of her coaching relationship with former Serena Williams coach, Patrick Mouratoglou. A partnership she will hope is paying dividends already with her fighting spirit on true evidence throughout.
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The important win started in the opposite direction by going a set down as Putintseva was in clutch control as she broke to go 3-2 after initially having break points in both of Osaka's service games prior putting the pressure on that finally told. She held for 4-2 and continued to hold until breaking to seal the set.
But resolute as ever, Osaka returned to break back in the second and went 3-1 up and even in going 4-3 down after a Putintseva, it wasn't panic. She stuck to the task superbly and went 5-4 up breaking before closing out the set. The final set was nearly a carbon copy albeit more emphatic for Osaka as she broke to start and then broke again for 3-0. This was immediately cancelled out but following a set pattern, she broke to bring herself to the brink before sealing the deal. She went 5-2 up and claimed it on her third match point on her serve.
Next up is Katie Volynets who took down Marta Kostyuk earlier today. She could then face either Katie Boulter or Coco Gauff in the fourth round.
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