Muchova pips Osaka to reach China Open quarterfinals

Muchova will face either fellow Czech player Nikola Bartunkova or Austria’s Sinja Kraus in the last-eight. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Karolina Muchova beat former world number one Naomi Osaka on her ninth match point to reach the quarterfinals of the China Open, overcoming a tense tie-break on Tuesday in Beijing.

Muchova, the seventh seed, overcame 50 unforced errors across the two-hour-and-52-minute match to beat Osaka 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (9/7).

Osaka, the current world number 17, surrendered a three-game lead in the first set after a series of misfired shots in the seventh game.

The 28-year-old who represents Japan dropped just one game to win the second set and saved eight match points in the third but could not get past Muchova’s match-winning volley.

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“I think she played always great and steady,” the 30-year-old Czech player told the crowd.

“I was shaking. I’m happy I made the last volley... Naomi could be standing here. It’s me, and I’m really grateful for it.”

She will play either fellow Czech player Nikola Bartunkova or Austria’s Sinja Kraus.

Earlier, Russia’s Mirra Andreeva beat Ukraine’s Daria Snigur 6-2, 6-2 to book her quarterfinals spot against fellow Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Alexandrova, ranked 28th, upset Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 6-2, 6-2, ending the Czech player’s bid to return to the Beijing final that she reached last year.

In the men’s draw, Novak Djokovic was due to play Alex de Minaur for the title.

Djokovic, 39, enters the final with six titles in Beijing -- although his most recent came in 2015 -- and 33 wins in as many matches.

He secured his spot in the final after a gruelling physical battle with Daniil Medvedev on Monday ended with the Russian disqualified for hitting a spectator with a ball.

The China Open told AFP on Tuesday the fan was “OK” and “not badly injured”.