Caroline Garcia edged past Naomi Osaka 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 to set up a fourth-round match against Coco Gauff at the Miami Open
Garcia saved three of the four break points against her, while Osaka fended off seven of nine chances she faced.
Garcia has improved her win-loss record to 8-7 this season.
Osaka saved three set points to reach the tie-break in the first set. The Japanese player went down 0-30, as she was serving at 5-6, but she responded with two aces. Garcia earned four set points at 6-2 in the tie-break. Osaka won two consecutive points, but Garcia sealed the tie-break on her third set point.
Osaka broke serve in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead in the second set. Garcia broke straight back and held serve at 15 to draw level to 4-4. Garcia called for the trainer due to a problem on her right shoulder. Garcia earned two break points, as Osaka was serving at 5-5 and converted her second chance with another serve with her second serve. The French player sealed the win on her first match point with an overhead.
“I wasn’t playing like myself, and I was not dictating the point. I feel like there are certain things that make a player a player. For me, it’s dictating the points and having a great serve. Those things were not done well in that match. I just want to have progression and I want to go out like myself, even if I win or lose”, said Osaka.
