Naomi Osaka loses for first time in 13 months

Naomi Osaka (Facebook)

Ok, so we know there has not been constant tennis for the last 13 months, but the fact that world number two Naomi Osaka of Japan lost on Wednesday for the first time since February 7, 2020 in an actual match is mighty impressive. In the quarterfinals of the Miami Open, Osaka lost 6-0, 6-4 to Maria Sakkari of Greece to snap her 23-match winning streak.

This was Osaka’s first loss since being beaten 6-0, 6-3 in Fed Cup Qualifying to Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo over a year ago. In that time, Osaka won two grand slam titles–the 2020 United States Open, and the 2021 Australian Open.

It should be noted that Osaka did reach the final of two other events in the last 13  months, but pulled out against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus because of a hamstring injury at the Cincinnati Masters leading up to the United States Open, and against Elise Mertens of Belgium in the final of the Gippsland Trophy in Melbourne in January leading up to the Australian Open because of a shoulder injury. The hamstring and shoulder injuries were not major ailments for Osaka however, as she went on to beat Azarenka 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 in last year’s United States Open Final, and then American Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-3 in the 2021 Australian Open Final. Osaka also beat Nina Stojanovic of Serbia in the third round of the Miami Open via a walkover, which was not included in the winning streak.

In Miami this week, the semifinals are now set in the women’s singles draw. Ashleigh Barty of Australia is facing Elina Svitolina of the Ukraine in one semifinal, and Sakkari is facing Bianca Andreescu of Canada in the other.

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