Naomi Osaka, the two-time US Open champion, saw her comeback to the tournament come to an abrupt end in the second round on Thursday. She fell to Czech player Karolina Muchova, ranked 52nd in the world, in a hard-fought match that ended 6-3, 7-6 (7/5).
Osaka, who triumphed in the US Open in both 2018 and 2020, was unable to participate in the competition last year due to the birth of her daughter, Shai. Her comeback has been marked by inconsistency, with her last third-round appearance in a Grand Slam occurring at the Australian Open in 2022. Though she managed to secure a victory against Jelena Ostapenko in the opening round of this US Open, it marked her first win over a top-ten opponent in four years.
Muchova, on the other hand, presented a formidable challenge. She reached the semi-finals in New York the previous year and achieved a career-high ranking of ninth in the world before undergoing wrist surgery that sidelined her for nine months.
The match took place on the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium, the same stage where Osaka achieved her maiden Grand Slam victory in 2018 by defeating Serena Williams. Osaka made a striking entrance, sporting a customized black Nike outfit designed for the spotlight. Despite a promising start, she failed to capitalize on an early break point and succumbed to an increasing number of errors, while Muchova relentlessly pressured her at the net. The Czech player went on a five-game winning streak, securing a break to take a 4-3 lead in the first set.
Osaka managed to regain her composure in the second set, breaking Muchova to take a 5-4 lead. However, she missed three set points in the ensuing game, allowing Muchova to take back the lead. Osaka eventually leveled the set with a powerful forehand.
The tiebreaker saw Osaka take an early lead at 4-2 after Muchova committed a double fault. However, Muchova rallied, winning four consecutive points and leaving Osaka needing to save two match points. In a final twist of fate, Osaka unleashed a powerful forehand, ultimately sealing her fate and ending her US Open comeback.
