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Naomi Osaka is no stranger to making strong comebacks. She has coped with difficult times throughout her career to step up her game when it mattered the most. It has seen her win four Grand Slam titles to date during her illustrious career.

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Last month, Osaka endured a difficult time at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. She suffered an early exit at the hands of Veronika Kudermetova in the second round. Moreover, she broke into tears after her match as she was unhappy with the crowd’s behavior.

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However, the Japanese star has made a remarkable comeback at the Miami Open. Osaka has entered the finals of the tournament after defeating Belinda Bencic in the last-four clash yesterday. But, it wasn’t easy sailing for Osaka as she had to face some anxious moments during the match.

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Naomi Osaka admits to being nervous in the third set against Belinda Bencic

During the post-match interview, the 24-year-old opened up about what was going through her mind during crucial moments and the importance of this victory. She said, “I definitely value this a lot. It’s one of the first three-set matches where I will definitely remember it for the rest of my life.”

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USA Today via Reuters

Further, she added, “I was really nervous in the third set, I was nervous the entire time, but the third set when I was serving the first time for the match, I was shaking so much because my body wasn’t used to being in that situation again. So, just constantly being aware of how happy I am to be back where I am now.”?Her reaction after winning the match was priceless and her clutch win over Bencic should give her a lot of satisfaction and confidence.

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Naomi Osaka entered the semifinal match against Bencic on the back of some dominating victories in her previous rounds. En route to her last-four clash, Osaka had defeated the likes of Angelique Kerber, Alison Riske, and Danielle Collins. Moreover, she hadn’t dropped a set before her clash against Bencic.

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Further, Osaka maintained her good run at the tournament as she prevailed over Bencic in a three-setter thriller. She will face Iga Swiatek in the summit clash on Saturday. Can Osaka win her first title this season at the Miami Open? Let us know your views in the comments below.

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Vatsal Shah

3,705 Articles

Vatsal Shah is a tennis journalist at EssentiallySports, covering ATP and WTA storylines from the ES Trends Desk since 2023. He delivers breaking insights on major tournaments and player arcs, decoding tactical shifts and viral moments into accessible takeaways for fans worldwide. His coverage of Taylor Townsend’s Dubai title win stood out for capturing both the emotional significance of her victory and the context of her comeback.

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Niranjan Deodhar

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