The oui earring, spun in cursive across Naomi Osaka’s right lobe, was a fitting accessory on Thursday, as the 21-year-old said yes to another three-set victory.
Ranked No.1 in the world, Osaka has become a habitué of three-set contests. She won six of her last nine Grand Slam matches this year in matches that have gone the distance. The latest was a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 claw back over veteran Victoria Azarenka at Roland Garros on Thursday, advancing her to the third round and keeping the possibility of a third-straight major title alive.
“I have this mindset that I feel like I can win if it gets down to the wire, if I have to break a person, I feel like I have the ability to do that,” Osaka said after the second round.