No.16 seed Karolina Pliskova gritted out a 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 victory over Naomi Osaka in the second round of the Brisbane International on Wednesday, halting Osaka’s Hologic WTA Tour comeback event.
In the battle between two former World No.1 players, it was the Czech Pliskova who pulled off the comeback win after 2 hours and 14 minutes to reach the Round of 16.
Pliskova had some statistics in her favor coming into Wednesday’s match. She is a three-time Brisbane International champion, including titles at the last two editions of the event in 2019 and 2020. Her most recent meeting with Osaka came in the 2020 Brisbane semifinals, where Pliskova won after a 2-hour and 49-minute marathon.
Despite falling behind by a set, Pliskova was able to turn around another close clash with the Japanese star, improving her lead in their head-to-head to 4-2. Pliskova, who had a first-round bye as a seeded player this week, has now won her last 10 matches in Brisbane.
Osaka was playing her first tournament since September of 2022, having given birth to daughter Shai in July of 2023. Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka won her first-round match over Tamara Korpatsch to start her return.
Rising to the occasion 👀 🙌 @KaPliskova is through to the last 16, defeating Naomi Osaka 3-6 7-6(4) 6-4. #BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/8xCE2SCebr
— Brisbane International (@BrisbaneTennis) January 3, 2024
On Wednesday, Osaka was the cleaner player in the first set, with 13 winners to just four unforced errors. She nearly went up an early break in the second set as well, reaching triple break point on Pliskova’s serve at 1-1.
But Pliskova powered her way out of danger in that game as her vaunted serve began to reach pristine heights. Pliskova won 92 percent of first-service points (24 of 26) in the second set, where neither player broke serve.
16 - Karolina Pliskova's 16 aces against Naomi Osaka at Brisbane was the first time the Czech had served 16+ aces in a match (excluding BJK Cup) since serving 17 aces against Kaia Kanepi at Berlin 2022. Pinpoint. #BrisbaneTennis | @BrisbaneTennis @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/y7SJKqSIks
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) January 3, 2024
That weapon served Pliskova well in the pivotal second-set tiebreak, after an early Osaka forehand error gave the Czech a 2-0 advantage. Pliskova slammed a second-service ace to garner three set points at 6-3 in the breaker, and she converted the second of that trio after Osaka sent a backhand long.
Pliskova took charge in the third set by backing up a big backhand return with a forehand winner to break for 2-1. Osaka held three break points in the remainder of the final set, but Pliskova erased them all, and she served out the match at love to clinch the tough win.
