‘She Crushed Me’—Naomi Osaka Seals Sweet Revenge Over Australian Open Rival While Redeeming Her Iconic Outfit Moment

Former Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka is like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Osaka’s last season was abruptly over to injury, casting doubts over her form. Yet, like a phoenix, she quietly rose and at the 2025 Australian Open, the Japanese star reminded the world of her strength, answering her critics in style, with a sweet revenge.

Osaka continued her 2025 Australian Open run with an impressive victory over Czechia’s Karolina Muchova in the second round. The Japanese WTA star showcased resilience and power, returning from a tough start to claim the match in three sets by 1-6, 6-1, 6-3. However, this win wasn’t just about advancing to the third round of the Melbourne Major. The Czech player had ended Osaka’s dream at the 2024 US Open in a heart-wrenching second-round loss, 6-3, 7(7)-6(5). Now this victory at the AO must have felt like poetic justice for Osaka.

She acknowledged the emotional significance of the victory. During her post-match on-court interview, she said, “She crushed me in the US Open when I had my best outfit ever. I was so disappointed, so mad, but yeah, this was my little revenge. And it’s not a bad thing—like, revenge is competitive, you guys. But yeah, it means a lot because she’s one of the toughest opponents out there.”

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Naomi Osaka referred to her bow-detailed Nike dress, which made waves at the 2024 US Open. However, the hype about it was overshadowed by her early exit. The scene drew a mix of humor and nostalgia for the Japanese player. On the other side, Muchova had started strong, taking the first set in just 32 minutes with commanding play. But Osaka responded with determination in the second, securing a double break and leveling the match with authority.

Naomi Osaka after beating Muchova to reach 1st Australian Open R3 since 2022

“What does this mean to you?”

Naomi: “It means a lot.. She crushed me at US Open when I had my best outfit ever. This was my little revenge” 😂

pic.twitter.com/36WWxnvsrH

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 15, 2025

Reflecting on her hard-fought victory against Karolina Muchova, Osaka described the effort it took to overcome her Czech rival. “Honestly, it took everything,” admitted the former Australian Open champion. “I felt like I left everything I had on the court. I could have done better, but just to be back on these courts… It really makes my whole year.” Her words reflected her fulfillment, a stark contrast to the frustrations she endured the last time during her rivalry against Muchova.

In 2024, Osaka faced a string of setbacks, starting with a first-round loss to Caroline Garcia at the Australian Open. Her 2024 French Open and Wimbledon campaigns ended in the second round, leaving her determined to make a stronger statement on the hard courts where she had triumphed twice before, in 2019 and 2021.

Facing Muchova in Melbourne, Osaka knew she had something to prove. The Czech player had a 2-1 lead in their head-to-head record going into the match, and Muchova had handed Osaka a crushing defeat at the 2024 US Open. But this time, Osaka turned the table with sheer brilliance, leveling their rivalry at 2-2. With her victory, Osaka reminded the fraternity why she is a four-time Grand Slam champion.

Now, as the Japanese player advances to the third round of the 2025 Australian Open, her next challenge awaits, which is Swiss star Belinda Bencic. Returning from maternity leave, Bencic has already shown her potential, securing a title at the ITF tournament in Hamburg last October with a victory over Jelena Ostapenko.

Osaka, fully aware of Bencic’s poise and grit, is, however, unfazed. What did she say about the upcoming clash?

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Naomi Osaka is ready to see her next opponent “on the other side of the court”Osaka’s next match against Belinda Bencic is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. They last locked horns in the 2022 Miami Open semifinals, where the Swiss player lost against Osaka in three straight sets by 4-6, 6-4, and 6-4. Two years later, the WTA stars are destined to face each other but this time on Melbourne’s Grand Slam court. “I think it’s going to be a fun match. She beat me last time, but I have a good record against her. But it doesn’t really mean anything anymore,” Bencic said about Osaka. Interstingly, Bencic leads her head-to-head with Osaka by 3-2.

On the other hand, Osaka had an interesting thought about meeting Bencic. The 2019 Australian Open winner was asked if she would advise the new mom about motherhood. In her response, Osaka said, “I haven’t really bumped into her. It’s weird. When you’re at a Slam, you don’t really see people when you expect to see them. But I guess I’ll see her on the other side of the court.” Although the Japanese player didn’t directly talk about their clash, her statement hinted how she looks forward to offering tough competition to her opponent.

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Naomi Osaka’s performance in the ongoing Australian Open has fuelled the fraternity’s expectations. Recovering from an average 2024 season without any titles, Osaka is determined to prove her worth in the sport and she is leaving no stone unturned for that. Following her performance in the last two rounds, it seems like she has set her eye on the trophy and will do whatever it takes to reach that. Do you think Naomi Osaka can shine in the Melbourne major once again after 2021?

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