Tennis news - Naomi Osaka knocked out by Karolina Muchova in second round of the Madrid Open
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ByEurosport
Updated 02/05/2021 at 13:58 GMT
Naomi Osaka's struggles on clay continue. Although the 23-year-old has won four Grand Slam titles in her glittering career to this point, she has never reached a final of a clay tournament. Her preparations for Roland-Garros, which gets underway at the end of the month, have taken a bump in the road after she was well beaten by Karolina Muchova on Sunday.
Naomi Osaka
Image credit: Getty Images
Naomi Osaka has been knocked out of the second round of the Madrid Open by Karolina Muchova 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.
The world number two was overpowered by her Czech opponent in one hour and 49 minutes on Sunday. For Muchova, it is her tenth win over a top five player in her career.
Osaka double faulted on break point which saw Muchova go 2-1 up in the opening set. Muchova saved the only break point she faced in the following game before going on to comfortably seal the opener.
Muchova, who knocked out Ash Barty at the Australia Open in January, was not done there as she took another early 2-1 lead in the second set, but Osaka broke back to level the set at 3-3 with a powerful forehand.
Momentum swung in favour of the Japanese player, who knocked out compatriot Misaki Doi in straight sets in the opening round, and she won five successive games to force a decider.
But world number 20 Muchova regained her control and took an early break at 1-0 before cruising to a third set victory, booking her place in the last-16.
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