NEW YORK (AP) Naomi Osakas achy left knee didnt let her serve without pain, so she didnt practice that key part of her game leading into the U.S. Open. The knee also prevented her from covering the court and preparing for shots the way shed like.
Those werent the only reasons that the No. 1-seeded Osakas 10-match winning streak at the U.S. Open and title defense ended Monday in the fourth round. Belinda Bencics clean, crisp strokes, struck with the ball still on the rise, contributed plenty to the outcome, too.
Osaka joined 2018 mens champion Novak Djokovic on the sideline before the quarterfinals, exiting with a 7-5, 6-4 loss to the 13th-seeded Bencic under a closed roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium on a rainy afternoon. Djokovic stopped playing in his fourth-rounder Sunday night because of a problematic left shoulder.
I honestly didnt move well today. You know what I mean? I felt like I was always flat-footed. … The knee was a little bit annoying in the movement aspect, Osaka said. But I think that thats something I should have overcome.
As for her powerful serve, Osaka called it inconsistent, saying she hadnt been working on it coming into the years last Grand Slam tournament because I cant really land on my leg that great.
Osaka has been wearing a black sleeve on the knee and was given a pain-killing pill by a trainer midway through the second set Monday.
By then, Bencic was up a set and a break, employing a quick-strike style of taking balls early and snapping them back, rushing Osaka and not leaving her not enough time to respond. It worked before: Bencic is now 3-0 against Osaka in 2019.
I dont have the biggest power. Dont have the most winners or most aces. But I think I can really read the opponents game well, said Bencic, who will face No. 23 Donna Vekic of Croatia in the quarterfinals. I definitely try to do that against anyone, not only against her.
Bencic finished with far more winners, 29, than unforced errors, 12, and showed once again that she is a big-match player. She owns a tour-leading nine victories over top-10 opponents in 2019 and is 4-1 for her career against top-ranked players.
Bencic is 22, just a year older than Osaka, but her progress was slowed in recent years by injuries, including wrist surgery.
Back in 2014, when she was 17, Bencic became the youngest woman into the U.S. Open quarterfinals since 1997, when another Swiss woman, Martina Hingis, took the title.
Hingis mother, Melanie Molitor, used to coach Bencic, and five-time major champion Hingis herself has served as a mentor. Bencic said she likes to emulate the way Hingis used to play, always thinking a move or two or more ahead.
With Melanie, we didnt try to copy Martinas game. We tried to make my own game. And obviously, I know there are similarities, because thats the way Melanie teaches, but it was about making my own strengths and my own game style, Bencic said. I play, of course, a little bit different than Martina. I think she was even more skilled and smarter on the court and playing more chess. I think I have a little bit less maybe talent and touch than her, but maybe a little bit more power.
In mens action, No. 2 Rafael Nadals bid for a fourth U.S. Open trophy and 19th Slam title in all progressed via a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over 2014 champion Marin Cilic at night in front of an appreciative Ashe crowd that included Tiger Woods throwing uppercuts to celebrate spectacular shots. Nadals quarterfinal foe will be No. 20 Diego Schwartzman, a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 winner against No. 6 Alexander Zverev, who was undone by 17 double-faults.
My first serve is still fine. My second serve needs to be worked on, Zverev said. But Ill deal with it.
No. 24 Matteo Berrettini gave Italy its first U.S. Open mens quarterfinalist since 1977 and made it this far himself for the first time at any major with a 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (6) victory over Andrey Rublev. Berrettini now plays No. 13 Gael Monfils, who overwhelmed Pablo Andujar 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.
