Osaka takes Muchova's best stuff—for a set—but wins in New York City

When it comes to preparing for Grand Slam tournaments, the usual, methodical progression in tennis calls for practice matches followed by tune-up events, leading up to the big ones. But pandemic life has compressed so much that the 2020 tennis season now a cram course in competition.

Ragged and rough, yet also skillful and engaging, were the watchwords this afternoon for two-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka and 26th-ranked Karolina Muchova, as they fought one another for two hours and 33 minutes in the second round of a Western & Southern Open match played on Court 17 of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The fourth-seeded Osaka won it, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-2, but not before Muchova trotted out plenty of eclectic discussion topics.

The object in tennis is to compel mistakes, often by making it hard for the opponent to feel settled. Among pros, this is usually accomplished in one of two ways: You either hit the ball harder or earlier.

Osaka owns the former, reaching the pinnacle with superb, well-trained firepower. It’s an impressive sight to watch her start and finish a rally with a single serve, return or groundstroke. Like a football team that has mastered the power sweep, or a prosecuting attorney armed with enough evidence to put you away for life, there is nothing deceptive about Osaka. Her opponents know what’s coming, but are often helpless to deal with it.

Muchova has built an entirely different game. In the tradition of many Czech players, there is a carefully calibrated, opportunistic quality to her style. Muchova’s success is based less on raw velocity and more on nimble court management skills and inventive shot selection. Ranked 145th in the world as recently as the end of 2018, Muchova marshaled her skills well enough last summer to reach the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in the first main-draw appearance, a surface that’s a natural fit for her ability to hit the ball early and direct it to various corners.

Through the first set, the two punched and probed. Like a baseball batter who usually hits for extra bases, Osaka sought to find her timing. And like a pitcher armed with a spectrum of pitches, Muchova sought to disrupt it. At 6-all, a pair of misfired Osaka forehands and a slick forehand from Muchova gave her a quick 3-0 lead that she extended to 4-2. But when Osaka snapped up the next two points—including one with a magnificent crosscourt backhand winner—it appeared Muchova’s moment had passed. But instead, Muchova rolled an untouchable forehand topspin lob and a mid-rally forehand drop shot to earn a pair of set points. She closed it out on the second.

The letdown from Muchova was clearly visible. In the opening game of the second set, her footwork betrayed her, leading to several sloppy errors. Osaka held at love for 2-0 and had quickly found her groove. Muchova’s case wasn’t helped by a blister on her left toe that required treatment after the third game of the second set. All the crackling, brisk movements that had helped her capture the first set dissipated.

A resurgent Osaka, persistently positive and focused, closed out the second set with a love hold, capping that game off with an ace right down the T. The seesaw was now greatly in her favor; Muchova had reached her pitch count. Osaka rapidly rattled off the first four games of the third set and ran out the match.

And so continues tennis’ real-life study hall, the US Open but a week away. Sharpen your pencils and get your pens ready for the big exam.

Osaka's post-match interview, with Brett Haber and Jim Courier: