Gold-sequined Osaka survives three-set scare against teenager Jovic
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Naomi Osaka secured a hard-fought 7-6(5) 6-7(3) 6-4 victory over 18-year-old Iva Jovic at the French Open.
- Osaka, wearing a gold sequined outfit, faced a tough challenge from the unseeded Jovic, needing three match points to win.
- The win marks Osaka's first appearance in the fourth round of the French Open, where she will face either Aryna Sabalenka or Daria Kasatkina.
Naomi Osaka advanced to her first-ever French Open fourth round after surviving a significant scare against American teenager Iva Jovic. The match, which concluded with a 7-6(5) 6-7(3) 6-4 scoreline, saw Osaka pushed to her limits by the 18-year-old Jovic.
Playing in a gold sequined top and skirt - her latest fashion statement in Paris - Osaka found it hard going from the start, with the American teenager dulling her opponent's sparkle in her first Grand Slam third-round appearance.
Osaka, who has been making fashion statements with her all-gold attire in Paris, found the going tough from the outset. Jovic, playing in her first Grand Slam third-round appearance, showed no signs of nerves on Court Suzanne Lenglen. She matched Osaka's power and pushed the former world number one to a first-set tiebreak.
The 18-year-old Jovic may have found herself in unknown tournament territory but looked completely at ease on Court Suzanne Lenglen as she pushed the former world number one to a first-set tiebreak.
Osaka eventually clinched the first set 7-5 in the tiebreak after wasting two set points. The second set followed a similar pattern, with both players exchanging breaks and Jovic forcing another tiebreak, which she won to level the match. The deciding third set remained on a knife's edge, with Jovic refusing to yield and matching Osaka's powerful groundstrokes. However, the Japanese star ultimately carved out a match point on Jovic's serve at 5-4 and converted it to secure her place in the next round.
Osaka, seeded 16th, had wasted two set points at 6-5 and needed three more before subduing the American 7-5 in the tiebreak.
Osaka will now face either top seed Aryna Sabalenka or Daria Kasatkina in her quest to advance further in the tournament.
The third set was again on a razor's edge, with Jovic refusing to buckle and matching Osaka's power blow for blow.
Originally published by CNA. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.