WATCH: Frustrated Naomi Osaka Throws Her Racquet Multiple Times, Receives Code Violation For Ball Abuse

Third seed Naomi Osaka met her match in 18-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez at the US Open 2021 third round. Accordingly, the duo took it to three sets to decide the winner between them. In the end, it was the defending champion who first lost control of the match.

From the first swing itself, the young Canadian showed sheer determination to cause the biggest upset. Subsequently, Osaka also brought her best tennis for the night session in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Indeed, Fernandez stayed on toe with the Japanese professional and never backed out of the fight. A decider set transpired to bring out the winner between the two.

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Naomi Osaka and Leylah Fernandez go the distance at US Open 2021 R3

The 23-year-old served well throughout the matchup against Fernandez. However, at the most important time, her service game abandoned her.

Notably, Osaka was serving for the match at 6-5 with a set lead, but from then on, she went to lose the second set in the tie-breaker. She banged her racquet twice to the ground, but since it did not break, she received no code violation.

But, one did seem inevitable as the defending champ grew more and more frustrated. Osaka got broken in the decider set by the 18-year-old Canadian. And so, to cool off the steam, the Japanese let off her frustation on the tennis ball, giving her the code violation for ball abuse.

Tennis is unquestionably a more mental game than physical. And in this matter, Fernandez had taken a huge lead over the four-time Grand Slam champion.

However, the big question is: Will the young Canadian keep her resolution tight to upset the defending champion? Or will Osaka pull off this challenge deep in the third set of the US Open 2021 R3?

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