Defending Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka continued her 2020 Australian Open campaign with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Zheng Saisai, advancing into the third round.
“I just wanted to fight. I know I’ve been in these positions on this court before, and I’ve had to play third sets, so I was just thinking about how I really didn’t want to play a third set this time.”
The No.3 seed played the final game with aplomb, blasting winners to earn a pair of match points, and only needed one as Zheng threw in a double fault.
In all, she struck 20 winners and 30 unforced errors and broke serve six times, winning over half of her points played on return and allowing Zheng just five points on her second serve.
Naomi Osaka will meet Coco Gauff in the third round. The pair faced off at the US Open, under the lights inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, in the same round in September, which was won by Osaka, 6-3, 6-0, but made headlines around the world for an emotional post-match scene that saw both players be interviewed on court.
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