Australian Open 2025: Osaka Overcomes Muchova After Falling Behind by A Set to Advance to the Third Round
In a “little revenge” for losing at the US Open, former Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka rallied from a set deficit on Wednesday to advance to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time since the birth of her baby in 2023.
After losing the opening set against 20th seed Karolina Muchova, the Japanese sensation—who has won in Melbourne in 2019 and 2021—went on to win 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.
She had been pushed all the way by Caroline Garcia in the first round, and this was her second three-set test in two days.
“Honestly, it took everything,” Osaka explained when asked how she turned the match around.
The last time the two met, at the 2024 US Open, Muchova of the Czech Republic won. She got off to the fastest start, winning the opening set in 32 minutes.
Osaka responded with a double-break before using a quick serve to end the second set.
Against a formidable opponent who advanced to the Melbourne semifinals four years prior, Osaka kept getting better.
Osaka, the former world number one, broke for a 3-2 lead in the decider after launching some scorching groundstrokes.
In the following game, a fiery backhand winner down the line preserved a break point, and another solidified her lead at 4-2.
“It means a lot, she’s an incredibly difficult opponent for me to play,” explained Osaka of Muchova.
