Karolína Muchová burned through nine match points before finally putting away Naomi Osaka at the 2026 China Open on Tuesday. The Wimbledon runner-up ground out a 7-5, 1-6, 7-6(7) fourth-round win in Beijing that took nearly three hours to settle.
Karolína Muchová Launches Multi-Set Comeback
Down 4-1 early in the first set, Muchová rallied to claim the opener. Osaka answered with a commanding second, evening the Asian swing match at a set apiece.
From there, the final set swung just as wildly. Osaka built a 3-1 cushion before Muchová fought back again, earning three match points at 5-4 on Osaka's serve. Even then, the four-time Grand Slam winner refused to fold, saving five match points in that game and three more in the tiebreak before a deft volley at the net from Muchová finally closed it out.
"I honestly didn't even believe I will finish the match," Muchová said.
"So many match points, I didn't know how many. I was shaking. It was really so close. Naomi could be standing here. It's me, and I'm really grateful for it."
Naomi Osaka Result Sets All-Czech Beijing Quarterfinal
Muchová now leads their head-to-head 5-3, scoring her fourth WTA 1000-level quarterfinal berth of 2026. She next faces fellow Czech Nikola Bartůňková.
