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Osaka, the 2019 Open champion, appeared doomed for an earlier-than-expected exit during the final set, down 3-5 and 15-40 on her serve against Muguruza — the 14th seed and two-time grand slam champion.
But the No. 3 seed showed she truly is a tennis champion, producing a near flawless flurry in the back-end of the third set to claim a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory. The high-quality, see-sawing match, which saw both women play with unrelenting intensity, was arguably the tournament’s best of the women’s draw so far this year.
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The win augurs well for Osaka’s chances of claiming a second Australian Open, as every time she’s made it past the round of 16 at a grand slam, she’s won the title.
In a muted celebration, a relieved Osaka gave a fist pump after the final point of the tense match then put a towel over her head, soaking in the enormity of her moment. For she had just rattled off four points in a row to save two match points before twice breaking the serve of Muguruza to seal victory.
Tennis writer Ben Rothenberg pointed out that after Osaka hit three unforced errors to go down two match points, she didn’t hit another unforced error for the remaining 22 points of the match, which included seven winners to Muguruza’s one.
“That is huge from Naomi Osaka,” former Australian player Casey Dellacqua said in commentary for Channel 9.
“There’s no better feeling than getting through a match when you’ve had to show such resilience being two match points down.
“She found a way.”
Prior to Sunday’s match, three-time grand slam champion Osaka hadn’t dropped a set in the tournament. But Muguruza made an early statement to take the first 6-4 — and after Osaka hit back to win the second set, Muguruza was primed to claim an upset win.
But Osaka’s strategy to play with safety when defending the two match points paid dividends, taking the ninth game of the third set then the next three games to secure an unlikely comeback win.
“Garbine Muguruza, she should be so proud of herself, she played a great match. If she’d faced anyone else in the fourth round, you can’t help but feel like she would’ve progressed further,” Dellacqua said.
Fellow Channel 9 commentator Tom Rehn added: “She will feel like that’s an opportunity missed. That’s going to sting for some time for her.”
Speaking after the match, Osaka admitted she was “a bit intimidated” by Muguruza, who was “playing really well”.
“I didn’t really know what to expect because I’ve never played her before but I just knew it was going to be tough,” Osaka said.
“In the stressful points I just felt I had to go within myself.
“I hit a lot of unforced errors but I felt it was something I needed to do because I couldn’t give her any short balls because she would finish it.”
Osaka’s great escape sets up a match with Taiwan veteran Hsieh Su-wei, who swept into her first Grand Slam quarter-final after 16 years of trying and became the oldest player to make a last-eight debut in the Open Era.
Osaka holds a 3-1 record against the 35-year-old.
“I’m not really looking forward to it,” Osaka said of her next match.
“It’s actually fun when I’m not really angry.
“Whenever I play her I have to expect everything.”