Naomi Osaka Roars Back Against Belinda Bencic and Reserves Her Final Berth at Miami Open 2022

Mar 29, 2022; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Naomi Osaka (JPN) hits a forehand against Danielle Collins (USA)(not pictured) in a women’s singles quarterfinal in the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Naomi Osaka beat Belinda Bencic in the semi-final at the Miami Open

It was a tough match for the four-time Grand Slam champion as Bencic posed a serious challenge in the match. The Swiss player broke Osaka’s serve in the third game of the opening set. A single break of serve was enough for Bencic to seal the set 6-4. Then, Osaka mounted a solid comeback, breaking Bencic in her opening service game of the second set, winning the set 6-3 . Eventually, the Japanese player pulled through the win despite a late comeback from Bencic in the third set.?

DIVE DEEPER: Naomi Osaka Delighted to See Rihanna and Her Date at Oscar 2022

After 2 hours and 6 minutes, Osaka won an intriguing contest 4-6,6-3,6-4 to reach her first final in over a year. Considering her disappointing exit at the Indian Wells Masters, the four-time Major champion should be jubilated by her performances so far in Miami.

Who will Osaka face next?

After winning against Belinda Bencic, Osaka will now focus on the final of the Miami Open. She will either face Iga Swiatek or Jessica Pegula in the title clash.

Surprisingly, Osaka only played Swiatek once in her career, which took place in 2019 at the Canadian Masters. In that match, she beat Swiatek in straight sets. However, Swiatek is a much better player now and is currently on a 15 match winning streak in 2022.

It will be a massive boost for Naomi if she wins the Miami Open. It will also prepare her well, both mentally and physically, to compete at the French Open. Incidentally, her struggles with mental health issues began at the French Open last year. As a result, she missed Wimbledon and a few other tournaments. Even though she returned for the Olympics and the US Open, she was never the same again.?

Watch This Story: Naomi Osaka’s best commercials

Can Naomi win the Miami Open? Let us know in the comments.