Coming up next: Naomi Osaka (23) vs. Karolína Muchová (11)
At last year’s U.S. Open, Osaka entered unseeded and got two tough breaks: Jelena Ostapenko in the first round and Muchová in the second.
The four-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. 1 beat Ostapenko, but Muchová maneuvered Osaka out of her comfort zone at the baseline and discombobulated her.
This is a different Osaka, with much improved movement and a new serenity about herself on-court, but the matchup remains a challenge.