French Open 2019: Osaka edges Azarenka in tight three-setter

In the battle of the current and former World No. 1’s, the current took the victory at the French Open 2019 on Thursday. Naomi Osaka rode the roller coaster that she and Victoria Azarenka constructed to earn a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 win on Suzanne Lenglen Court.

This was the third meeting between the superstars of the sport with the current World No. 1 being at an advantage. The Japanese powerhouse took Azarenka out quickly last season at Rome with a bagel in the first set.

The Belarusian, however, was having a more improved year since returning to full-time tennis. With her son much more developed to travel with her, the 29-year-old had upped her game and was searching for a shot at dictating and possibly knocking out the top seed of the tournament. Osaka nearly saw her run come to an end after being blanked in the opening set but she fought back to win the next two sets.

The two-time Australian Open champion came out all guns blazing to earn herself a break of Osaka to start the set. She quickly got into second gear, adding a service hold before consolidating two game wins with a double break of the world number one. She was clearly on the path of paying back the 21-year-old for her shutout last year as she picked up another service game to advance to 4-0.

Osaka was done seeing the set run one sided and dug in in the fifth to make a run at serving to love. Azarenka avoided the shutout with an error from the Japanese star but watched an ace go down the T to make it 4-1.

Despite letting the top seed into the set, Azarenka kept her foot on the gas pedal, producing another service win to pressure Osaka into giving her the set on a break. Her wish was not granted as the Japanese held her end to sit three games down, hoping the Belarusian would falter in the eighth. That was exactly what happened and with another hold to go along with it, she soon was just a game down with Azarenka feeling the heat of letting the set slip away.

The tenth saw a battle of crosscourt shots with the former world number one earning three set points. She lost one but didn’t allow more than one point to go to her opponent before winning it in 43 minutes. Both had good first serves but the difference maker came on the second where Azarenka just edged Osaka on offense.

She managed to have more winners than the Belarusian, which assisted her in the second set. Azarenka followed along until a run for control by the 21-year-old came to fruition. Gaining three break points, Osaka needed only one but faltered on each chance, bringing the game to deuce. It was a saving grace for Azarenka who fought through eight minutes and two breaks to level at two games each.

Azarenka soon achieved a break of serve to inch ahead further. The quickness of returning to serve made it comfortable for Azarenka to be strong on serve and take a 4-2 lead on the World No. 1. Osaka got back on track and held off Azarenka from getting a double from her. The fight ensued and the Japanese star soon levelled with a break. After five breaks and ten minutes of action in the eighth, it came to an end with Azarenka double faulting to give Osaka the victory.

Converting the break point helped set up a dominant service game in the ninth for the top seed to gain the opportunity to break the Belarusian and force a decider. She was denied that chance as Azarenka held her ground but fell behind when Osaka took a penultimate 11th game.

The Belarusian once again felt the pressure as she tried to avoid a third set from occurring. Falling behind, the 29-year-old had to force deuce but despite her push to secure the AD point, she never got a chance as the Japanese powerhouse scored the break that set up the deciding set of the match after 74 minutes.

Osaka found a way to counter Azarenka’s push for a break to hold her service game after the third deuce point in the third set. The Belarusian followed with the same run but managed to hang on to the service. It would be her last as the World No. 1 allowed the 29-year-old just three points in what was soon a 5-1 score in her favour. Azarenka somehow pulled off a break of Osaka that ended her losing streak but still had her three games back. She brought the gap down to a pair but the chance to end the match was still in the hands of the Japanese.

World No.1 @Naomi_Osaka_ rallied from a set and a break down but is into the 3️⃣rd round of @rolandgarros 💪She overcame Azarenka 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.--> https://t.co/lD6VMc14dv#大坂なおみ#RG19 pic.twitter.com/y93VkekNFP

— WTA (@WTA) May 30, 2019

She couldn’t get it done as Azarenka made tough returns that drew errors from her side but got lucky on an error that forced the Belarusian to deuce. Gaining a second match point, Osaka blew it with a return into the net, leaving the door open. On her third attempt, she slammed it shut by drawing an error from the 29-year-old, ending a 2-hour-50-minute thriller to advance to the third round.

“I knew that Victoria was playing really well coming into this tournament so I felt like it was an unfortunate second round but I’m happy that I won,” Osaka said during her on-court interview. She’ll take on the winner of the duel between Maria Sakkari and Katerina Sinakova in the third round on Saturday.