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Naomi Osaka has come through her last 16 match at the WTA 250 event in Osaka, but not without a scare.
Osaka took the first set in a tie-breaker, before being pegged back by Dutch player Suzan Lamens, who won the second 6-3.
The 27-year-old wasn’t to be denied, however, with the deciding set proving straightforward and Osaka taking it out 6-2.
Osaka praised Sonobe Wakana after beating the 17-year-old wildcard in round one, and this match proved a lot more difficult to navigate.
Linda Noskova beat Osaka at last week’s Wuhan Open, whilst her first match on the Asian swing against Aliaksandra Sasnovich at the China Open ended in defeat.
Photo by PAUL MILLER/AFP via Getty ImagesNaomi Osaka cuts short on court interview after win over Suzan Lamens
The latest win for the world number 14 might have come at a huge cost.
Osaka was quickly interviewed on the court after her win in three sets, and clearly, the match had a physical impact on the player.
Osaka told Sky Sports Tennis: “It was definitely really difficult. I am kind of sorry about my attitude, but I’m really glad to have won, and it’s very special for me to play here, so thank you guys for coming out.”
The interviewer was all set to ask another question, but Osaka cut them off before, asking to be excused.
She said: “Can I go? My leg is really hurting, I’m sorry.”
Osaka will hope injury is nothing serious
In a career that has seen her win four Grand Slam titles, Osaka’s injury history is actually pretty good.
As a result, the hope will be that this is nothing more than a bit of cramp or some fatigue after a gruelling year on the WTA Tour.
Osaka will see this tournament as one she can come through and win the competition as the number one seed.
DateInjury Time Out31/12/2017Back4 weeks27/08/2020Hamstring 2 weeks30/05/2021Ankle6 weeks
Next year could be a truly big one for Osaka, with signs shown in recent months that she is edging back to her best.
Amanda Anisimova praised Osaka after beating her in the semifinals of the US Open back in September, and that represented real progress for the Japanese player.
Osaka knows what it takes to win a major title on the WTA Tour, and the challenge for her next year is to start reaching the business end of Grand Slam events on a more frequent basis.
AloJapan.com