Montreal, Canada – Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka continued her strong run at the WTA Canadian Open on Friday, dominating 22nd-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia with a convincing 6-2, 6-4 victory to advance to the fourth round. This win marks a significant step for the 27-year-old Japanese star, bringing her just one match away from her first quarterfinal appearance at a Grand Slam or WTA 1000 event since her return from maternity leave at the start of 2024.
A Commanding Performance Against a Fellow Slam Champion
Osaka, a two-time winner at both the US and Australian Opens, showcased her powerful game against the former Roland Garros champion. She secured the first set in just 30 minutes, breaking Ostapenko on a crucial double fault. The second set saw a momentary wobble, as Osaka initially broke for a 3-1 lead when Ostapenko netted a forehand, only for the Latvian to rally and break back in the very next game with a forehand crosscourt winner.
Despite the brief setback, Osaka quickly regained control, breaking again for a 4-2 lead as Ostapenko netted another forehand. Serving for the match at 5-3, Osaka faced a spirited challenge, with Ostapenko saving a match point on a forehand crosscourt winner and breaking back when Osaka sent a forehand long. However, the Japanese star remained composed, responding decisively by breaking Ostapenko at love in the final game. The match concluded after 72 minutes when Ostapenko netted a backhand, giving Osaka her third consecutive straight-sets win over the Latvian, improving her lifetime record to 3-0 against her.
Path Ahead and Other Tournament Highlights
Currently ranked world number 49, Osaka’s next challenge in Montreal’s round of 16 will be against either two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula, the US third seed, or Latvian Anastasija Sevastova.
In other notable results from Friday’s matches, Danish 16th seed Clara Tauson secured her spot in the next round with a dominant 6-3, 6-0 victory over Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva. Later matches on the schedule include Polish second seed Iga Swiatek facing Germany’s Eva Lys, with the winner set to advance and take on Tauson. Additionally, Britain’s Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open winner, is slated to compete against US fifth seed Amanda Anisimova, further adding to the excitement of the tournament.
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