MELBOURNE: Naomi Osaka thought for a few moments after losing a lopsided first set Wednesday, and it gave her the perspective she needed to turn things around and reach the third round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since 2022.
鈥淚 just told myself ... if she beats me 6-1, 6-1, then she鈥檚 the greatest player ever,鈥� Osaka recalled after her 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 second-round win at the Australian Open over No. 20 Karolina Muchova. 鈥淵eah, I just tried to tell myself to fight.鈥�
That she did, the four-time major winner matching the power that last year鈥檚 US Open semifinalist brought to their contest on Kia Arena and finding ways to beat her.
鈥淭he score in the first set was very dramatic, but there was key points that I could have maybe won a game here or there. So I kept trying to tell myself that,鈥� Osaka said. 鈥淵eah, just try not to live in the past.鈥�
Reflecting on the past doesn鈥檛 always hurt, though. It was a second-round loss to Muchova at the US Open last year served as motivation.
鈥淪he crushed me in the US Open when I had my best outfit ever,鈥� Osaka joked in a post-match interview. 鈥淚 was so disappointed. I was so mad. This was my little revenge.鈥�
Osaka lost in the first round at Melbourne Park last year to Caroline Garcia in Osaka鈥檚 comeback from maternity leave, but she avenged that with a first-round victory over Garcia earlier this week.
The two-time Australian Open champion next faces Belinda Bencic, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist who is playing in her first major since the birth of her daughter, Bella, last year.
Both of last year鈥檚 women鈥檚 finalists were playing at the same time Wednesday afternoon.
Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion, extended her run to 16 wins at Melbourne Park by winning the last five games to beat No. 54-ranked Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3, 7-5 on Rod Laver Arena.
No. 5 Zheng Qinwen, distracted by a time penalty and unable to counteract No. 97-ranked Laura Siegemund鈥檚 aggressive approach, lost 7-6 (3), 6-3 on John Cain Arena. Zheng lost the 2024 decider at Melbourne Park to Sabalenka and went on to win the Olympic gold medal in Paris and finish runner-up at the WTA Finals in a breakout season.
But her first tournament of the year ended much earlier against 36-year-old Siegemund, who attacked from the first point and put Zheng off her game.
Zheng needed a change of shoes early in the second set, got a time warning on her serve from the chair umpire 鈥� she said she couldn鈥檛 clearly see the clock 鈥� and was worried about some minor issues which sidelined her before the Australian Open.
鈥淚 feel maybe today is not my day. There鈥檚 a lot of details in the important points. I didn鈥檛 do the right choice,鈥� Zheng said.
Of a weak serve that bounced before the net, Zheng said the time warning from the umpire 鈥渙bviously that one really distracted me from the match.鈥�
鈥淭his is my fourth year in the tour, and never happen that to me.鈥�
Also advancing were No. 7 Jessica Pegula, who had a 6-4, 6-2 win over Elize Mertens, 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva, the No. 14 seed who beat Moyuka Uchijima 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8), and No. 30 Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 US Open finalist.
Siegemund has never been past the third round in Australia, but is taking confidence from her big upset.
鈥淚 knew I just had to play more than my best tennis,鈥� Siegemund said. 鈥淚 had nothing to lose. I just told myself to swing free.鈥� Novak Djokovic, seeking a record 25th Grand Slam title, added yet another record to his list with his 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2 win over Jaime Faria on Wednesday afternoon.
It was his 430th Grand Slam singles match, the most in tennis history, breaking a tie with Roger Federer.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been over 20 years that I鈥檝e been competing in the Grand Slam at the highest level,鈥� he told the crowd at Rod Laver Arena. 鈥淲hether I win or lose, one thing is for sure: I always leave my heart out on the court.鈥�
Third-seeded Carlos Alcaraz, aiming to add the Australian Open title to complete a set of all four major crowns, advanced 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 victory over Yoshihito Nishioka.