By sportswriter Spencer Musick
BEIJING, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- World No. 4 Naomi Osaka of Japan moved past Wuhan Open runner-up Alison Riske in straight sets to move into the quarterfinals of the ongoing 2019 China Open here on Thursday.
Osaka was slow getting into form, while Riske was very agile out of the gate, fighting her to deuce on her opponent's first two service games before finally converting to go a break up at 4-2.
Osaka was seen putting her face into her hands and kneeling on the ground, it appeared as if the 21-year-old was succumbing to her tendency for self-doubt.
Osaka started practicing her forehand with motions in the air between points, and this appeared to do the trick; she came to life on this side and started raking in winners. After being held to 30 in the sixth game of the first set, Osaka went on to win every remaining game of the match. She overcame the deficit to grind it out the first set, 6-4 in 47 minutes.
The second set was nothing if not an example of what Osaka is capable of when she gets into her rhythm. She broke every one of her opponent's services, breezing through the set to deal out a bagel in just under 30 minutes.
Osaka faces the winner of the evening match between US Open Champion Bianca Andreescu and qualifier Jennifer Brady in the quarterfinals.
