Two-time champion Naomi Osaka returned to the US Open semifinals after a hard-fought, straight-sets victory against Karolina Muchova at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday night.
Osaka, a four-time grand slam champion who was victorious at Flushing Meadows in 2018 and 2020, had not featured in any grand slam semifinal since her victory at the 2021 Australian Open amid a well-publicized mental health battle and the birth of her first child in 2023.
However, Osaka has experienced a renaissance at the 2025 US Open and has looked close to her best throughout her run through the tournament.
Osaka said she has learned a lot about herself after overcoming various challenges in recent years.
“I learned that I love tennis a lot more than I thought,” Osaka said after her victory on Wednesday night. “I also learned that I really love challenges. It’s like a video game – you pick it up and even if you lose a level, you start again and keep going until you eventually win.
“I appreciate the journey a lot more now,” she added. “I’m just really grateful to be playing well in this city.”
Speaking on-court, Osaka said her return to the spotlight at a Grand Slam “means so much” and attributed her comeback to “so much hard work” that goes on behind the scenes.
That renaissance was particularly apparent in a 6-4, 7-6 (3) victory over Muchova on Wednesday night, with Osaka grinding out a hard-fought victory in an hour and 49 minutes. It might have been a straight-sets victory, but it was far from straightforward for Osaka, who found in Muchova an opponent who barely gave an inch throughout.
Muchova, who was bidding to reach a third consecutive US Open semi-final, had defeated Osaka in straight sets in the 2024 US Open and clearly had the tools to hurt the former champion – even if she did struggle for fitness somewhat after playing four consecutive three-setters en route to the last eight.
However, Muchova met a different opponent to the one she had ousted in the second round last year.
Much like Novak Djokovic drew on his big-game experience to win the big points in his quarterfinal against Taylor Fritz on Tuesday night, so too did Osaka.
Osaka faced more break points than her opponent but displayed the mental steel that saw her win four slams to save the majority of them. On Muchova’s serve, meanwhile, Osaka broke three times from just four break points.
She demonstrated that clinical edge in the first set, saving a break point in her very first service game before striking on the Muchova serve when the Czech was serving to stay in the set at 4-5. Osaka pounced to bring up three set points and took the set on her second attempt. Osaka was broken twice in the second set but crucially managed to break back in the very next game to bring the set back on track.
The former World No. 1 was broken in the very first game of the second set but produced a couple of sublime winners to open up two break points on the Muchova serve. She only needed one of them when Muchova produced an unforced error on the forehand side.
Muchova broke the Osaka serve to move 5-4 ahead in the set but crucially missed the opportunity to serve out the set, with breaking to love courtesy of more well-placed winners.
The two-time US Open champion went on to dominate the second-set tiebreak and book her place in Thursday night’s semifinal against hometown favorite Amanda Anisimova.
