Rome takeaways: Osaka extends winning streak into Round of 16
Former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka
Rome: Draws | Scores | Order of play
"Clayomi" extended her run on the dirt by improving to 3-0 against Bouzkova with the 2-hour and 26-minute comeback on Saturday.
Currently ranked World No. 48, Osaka won her first WTA 125 title last week on the clay of Saint-Malo, and she has now collected eight consecutive match-wins on the surface.
Here are some takeaways surrounding Osaka's latest triumph:
Bouzkova's breakthrough break: On the match's world feed, commentator Kevin Skinner noted that former Top 25 player Bouzkova had gone a total of 1-for-14 on break points in her two previous meetings with Osaka.
So it was notable when the Czech mustered up the only break of the first set to lead 4-3. Bouzkova moved through the rest of the opening frame from there, taking a set off of Osaka for the first time in their rivalry.
World No. 53 Bouzkova is one of the strongest returners on tour this season, ranking No. 2 in both percentage of second-serve return points won and percentage of break points converted.
Osaka power wrests back momentum: Bouzkova's steady groundstroke play and relentless defense came out on top in the first set, but after that, four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka turned the contest around.
The former top-ranked player in the world increased her winners from 17 in the first set to 23 in the second set. She also won 81 percent of points behind her first serve in the second set, 10 percent higher than in the opener.
Osaka cranked a backhand winner down the line for a 5-1 lead, but she failed to serve out the second set in the next game. That proved to be only a minor stumble as Osaka tied up the match two games later.
Forehand firing down the stretch: At 1-1 in the decisive third set, Bouzkova saw a 40-15 lead slip back to deuce, and Osaka took advantage of the opportunity, slamming back-to-back forehand winners to break serve and take charge for good.
Another forehand winner closed out a hold for 5-3, putting Osaka one game away from a return to the Rome Round of 16. She grasped that chance with both hands, breaking Bouzkova for the fourth time in the match to wrap up one more win on clay.
Quarterfinal spot on the line: Osaka could have faced No. 5 seed and fellow Grand Slam champion Madison Keys
In an all-American battle earlier on Saturday, Stearns edged past Keys in a third-set tiebreak. Stearns is now a win away from her second career WTA 1000 quarterfinal, having reached that stage last year in Toronto.
However, Osaka has 11 WTA 1000 quarterfinal showings under her belt, including two which eventually resulted in WTA 1000 titles: 2018 Indian Wells and 2019 Beijing.
Seeking her ninth straight victory, Osaka will be facing Stearns for the first time in her career.
