After Osaka thought she had a break of serve in the second game, only for the chair umpire to come down and call the mark “out”, there was such a dramatic switch of momentum that Swiatek won 12 straight points with some devastating tennis. Her dominance on this surface is increasingly Nadal-esque. More problems for Osaka on her serve as she slips to 15-30.
But a backhand down-the-line winner and an ace makes it 40-30. Brilliant running forehand from Osaka completes a much needed service hold for the Japanese. Osaka is not playing badly.
She’s just coming up against a brilliant player. Swiatek continues to put the ball exactly where she wants it, dictating from the baseline. Back-to-back forehand winners put Swiatek into a 40-0 lead.
And she completes a business like consolidation of the break when Osaka nets a forehand return. Stunning tennis from Swiatek to move to 0-40 on Osaka’s serve. She is making Osaka work so hard to stay in rallies.
More relentless hitting from the world No 1 and she breaks Osaka with a forehand winner into the corner. Good energy and ball striking from Osaka as she forces an error from Swiatek and earns a break point. Osaka thinks she has broken after a scorching forehand down the line.
But the umpire comes down from her chair and calls the ball out. To compound Osaka’s frustrations, Swiatek serves out the game to hold. Early test of Osaka’s nerves as Swiatek earns a break point but the Pole nets a backhand.
Osaka then holds to make a sol.
