Osaka stages another Houdini escape in Roland Garros

Naomi Osaka: another magical escape, Houdini style

Naomi Osaka: another magical escape, Houdini style

Naomi Osaka: another magical escape, Houdini style

Twice lucky! That was the lot of Japanese top seed and world number one Naomi Osaka as she staged a second successive Houdini act at Roland Garros, battling back from the brink of defeat to stay on course for her third Grand Slam title.

Osaka, 21, was a set and a break down and she still managed to defeat Victoria Azarenka 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. She was two points from defeat in her opener against Slovak Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.

Against former number one and two-time major winner Azarenka, Osaka was staring down the exit gate yet again at 2-4 down in the second set.

However, she held her nerve, despite squandering two match points, to secure her place in the third round and a clash against either Greek 29th seed Maria Sakkari or Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic.

“I was lucky to have played her twice before. I knew she had been playing well coming into the tournament,” said Osaka.

“It was an unfortunate second round for me so I am happy to win.”

Osaka finished the two-hour 50-minute encounter on Court Suzanne Lenglen with 52 winners and 43 unforced errors.

She becomes the first top seed to win her two opening matches at Roland Garros after losing the first set since Lindsay Davenport in 2005.

Azarenka, now at 43 in the world, claimed the 40-minute first set having stretched out to a 5-1 lead on the back of two breaks of serve.

Osaka was undone by 15 unforced errors.

The Japanese star appeared doomed when she slipped 4-2 down in the second set having failed to convert three break points in the fourth game.

But she rallied to level at 4-4 after a 10-minute eighth game, secured on an Azarenka double fault.

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The Belarusian, who had knocked out 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko in the first round, then saved three set points in the 12th game before Osaka levelled the contest with a pinpoint, down the line winner.

After an 85-minute set, Azarenka stretched a toilet break to 10 minutes before squandering three break points in the first game of the decider.

Osaka made her pay, breaking twice for a 5-1 lead.

However, in a rollercoaster of a match, Azarenka cut the deficit to 5-3, saving two match points in the process.

“I choked on this side and almost choked there too. I am a very emotional person,” said the Japanese as she explained how she almost allowed Azarenka back into the tie.

Serena Williams v Osaka Loading

Serena Williams put her nervy start to the French Open behind her by thrashing Japanese qualifier Kurumi Nara on Thursday to step up her bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title and a possible mouth watering encounter with Osaka en route.

The 37-year-old cruised into the third round with a 6-3, 6-2 victory on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Williams will face Sofia Kenin for a last-16 spot, after her fellow American received a walkover following Canadian Bianca Andreescu’s withdrawal through injury.

“I’m very serious when I play, but I’m happy,” she said.

The three-time Roland Garros title winner had racked up her 800th career main draw win in a first-round match against Vitalia Diatchenko, which saw her unveil her ‘mother, champion, queen, goddess’ logo on her playing gear, despite dropping the opening set.

A mouthwatering quarter-final clash with Naomi Osaka, who famously beat Williams in a dramatic 2018 US Open final, remains a possibility after the world number one’s thrilling three-set win over Victoria Azarenka.

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