Whenever Naomi Osaka makes it to the later stages of a Grand Slam, history shows she seldom falters and often goes on to claim victory. From the quarterfinals onward, she maintains unwavering focus.

This impressive track record continued as the Japanese tennis star overcame a less-than-fully-fit Karolina Muchova at the US Open on Wednesday night. Osaka triumphed with a 6-4, 7-6(7-3) win, securing a place in the semifinals.

After a turbulent few years, Osaka, now 27, seems to be finding her rhythm again. Despite Muchova’s recent struggles with a thigh injury, their matchup showcased top-tier tennis, dazzling the Arthur Ashe crowd with their skillful play.

Up until this point, the No. 11 seed Muchova had committed just three unforced errors. Yet, in what would become the last game of the set, she added another, which helped Osaka secure her first break and set of the match.

Feeling frustrated, Muchova retreated down the tunnel, presumably to seek treatment for her thigh and regroup. She took her time during a medical timeout and returned with renewed determination, quickly breaking Osaka’s serve after an impressive forehand winner set up the break point.

However, her opportunity to shift the momentum and extend her lead slipped away. Naomi responded swiftly and powerfully, showcasing her skill in a stunning violet dress. The four-time Grand Slam winner unleashed powerful forehands and backhands, erasing the early break advantage Muchova had gained. Ultimately, Muchova’s inability to widen her lead proved to be costly.

Still, the outstanding technical quality at both ends of the court was clear for all to see. At 2-2 in the second set, Osaka unleashed a crisp backhand that left her opponent with no chance. Muchova then answered in the very next point with an explosive forearm that had the same result.

Then, having both continued to hold serve up until 4-4, an inch-perfect Muchova backhand landed right in the corner of the court and left Osaka rooted to the spot. The latter hit back with yet another lightning-bolt groundstroke, though it was soon followed by the narrowest of wide shots and a gut-wrenching break to leave Muchova serving for the set.

The response from Naomi? An immediate break back without even dropping a point.

If it wasn’t already, the writing seemed to be on the wall from this moment onwards, despite Muchova forcing a tiebreak in the second and final set of the match. 

Osaka quickly took control of that tiebreak and won it 7-3 to get over the line, ensuring she will meet American star Amanda Anisimova in Thursday’s semifinals.

In her second full season back on the court, having not featured in 2023 after giving birth to her first child, the two-time US Open champion is back in her groove at last. 

This is the furthest she has made it at a Grand Slam since winning the Australian Open in 2021. It’s her best effort at a US Open since she did the same there a year earlier. 

For Osaka, it’s very much all or nothing at these major championships. If she doesn’t win them she doesn’t tend to stick around for the long haul. Excluding her four victories, her best finish at a Grand Slam otherwise is the fourth round.

The former world No 1 left fans in attendance at Flushing Meadows purring on Wednesday night, with her electric forearm still a joy to behold despite the wounded foe in front of her.

If she plays with similar aggression and swagger on Thursday, the No 8-ranked Anisimova – who defeated world No 2 Iga Swiatek earlier in the day – will certainly have her work cut out. Brutally, she has less than 24 hours to rest and recover ahead of her most crucial match since 2021.

Nevertheless, a new-and-improved Osaka is simply enjoying the ride in New York.

‘I appreciate the journey a lot more now. I think when I was younger, I kind of just kept thinking the next one, the next one, the next one,’ she explained in her post-match press conference. ‘Obviously I would love to appreciate everything right now, but you know, I have a match to play tomorrow.

‘So yeah, I’ll probably tell you how much I appreciate it at the end of the tournament, which is hopefully on Saturday for me. But regardless, I’m just really grateful to be playing well in this city.’