World No. 24 Naomi Osaka is climbing the ranks, taking down No. 11 Karolína Muchová 6-4, 7-6 (7) at the 2025 US Open on Wednesday night to extend her WTA comeback run and cruise to a third career appearance in the New York Grand Slam's semifinals.
"There's been so much hard work that you guys haven't seen, but I'm just really grateful to my team, and I'm just happy to be healthy," she said afterwards.
"Last year was really, really tough for me," Osaka later told ESPN, addressing her previous stumbles. "I wished I had results, and it just kind of got into my head a lot. And this year I just, I kind of just stopped caring if I won or lost."
While the four-time Grand Slam winner continues to work her way back from the 2023 birth of her daughter, Osaka also has a notable streak on the line.
The Japanese fan favorite has never lost a Grand Slam in which she's advanced past the Round of 16, securing two US Open titles and two Australian Open trophies after making the quarterfinals in those hardcourt tournaments.
"It's been a while since I've been in this position, but I think you play the best players in the world towards the end of a Slam, and we all are hoping to achieve the same thing," the 27-year-old added after Wednesday’s victory. "So it's kind of like boxing with a tennis ball."
Osaka next faces stiff competition in the 2025 US Open semifinals, taking on No. 9 Amanda Anisimova after the US ace avenged her recent Wimbledon loss by silencing No. 2 Iga Świątek in straight sets on Wednesday.
How to watch the 2025 US Open semifinals
The 2025 US Open semifinals take over the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens on Thursday night, with defending champion No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka facing New York product No. 4 Jessica Pegula in a rematch of the 2024 US Open final at 7 PM ET.
Shortly after the first semifinal, Osaka will square off against Anisimova for the last ticket to the Grand Slam final.
Both semifinals will air live on ESPN.
The Naomi Osaka comeback tour continued on Monday, as the world No. 24 tennis star took down No. 3 Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 in the pair's Round of 16 match at the 2025 US Open — booking her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since 2021 in the process.
"I'm a little sensitive and I don't want to cry, but honestly, I just had so much fun out here," Osaka said following the upset victory. "I was in the stands like two months after I gave birth to my daughter, watching Coco. I just really wanted an opportunity to come out here and play."
Already a two-time US Open champion, Osaka has been eyeing a deep tournament run since returning from maternity leave in January 2024 — and she managed to take advantage of Gauff's fluctuating form to achieve her goal.
"It's disappointing," Gauff said after Monday's loss. "For sure it was not the level that I wanted to bring, but it is a step in the right direction, I feel. I maybe was a little bit empty — she forced me to earn every point out there today."
Japan's four-time Grand Slam winner will next face No. 13 Karolína Muchová in a Wednesday quarterfinal, with Osaka most recently ousting the Czechia national from the 2025 Australian Open's Round of 64.
How to watch the US Open quarterfinals
The 2025 US Open quarterfinals kicked off on Tuesday, with US star and world No. 4 Jessica Pegula booking her second straight semifinals berth at the New York Slam by defeating Czechia's No. 62 Barbora Krejčíková in straight sets.
The quarterfinals will continue when defending champion No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka faces another Czech contender, No. 60 Markéta Vondroušová, at 7 PM ET on Tuesday.
Wednesday will cap the round, with Osaka battling Muchová and Poland's No. 2 Iga Świątek taking on No. 9 US star Amanda Anisimova in a rematch of the 2025 Wimbledon final.
Live coverage of the 2025 US Open airs across ESPN platforms.