Onlookers who wrote Naomi Osaka off in the early stages of the deciding set of her fourth-round encounter with Aryna Sabalenka can probably be given a pass.
Judging by her body language, the 20-year-old may have been close to throwing in the towel herself.
Down a break and having lost seven of the previous 10 games, Osaka had the look of a frustrated, exasperated player that wasn't quite ready to make a significant splash at a Grand Slam. It would have been hard to predict that half an hour later she would not only emerge as a victor, but as a player that now appears poised to take a leap forward in her young career.
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