Osaka heads to the top of Muguruza to reach the Australian Open QFs

MELBOURNE, Australia – (AP) – Latest Australian Open (all local time):

Naomi Osaka conceded two game points and came back to eliminate Garbiñe Muguruza in the fourth round matchup of Grand Slam champions at the Australian Open.

Osaka grabbed third place in the last four games to win 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the Rod Laver Arena.

That result puts her back in the quarter-finals of a tournament she won in 2019 for one of her top three awards.

Osaka served at 15-40 while slowing 5-3 in the final set. But Muguruza could not turn one of those game points and would not win another game.

Osaka is now facing Hsie Su-wei of Taiwain, 35, with semifinal fungus involved.

Unseeded Hsieh Su-wei has reached her first Grand Slam at the age of 35.

With Hsieh’s 6-4, 6-2 victory over the 2019 French Open, Marketa Vondrousova is the oldest woman to have her first quarter-final debating in professional time.

This is Hsieh’s 38th premier appearance at a major tournament.

The Vondrousova in the 19th seed made 31 non-critical mistakes, 13 in addition to Hsieh.

Hsieh is at level 71 and plays with an unconventional style that includes two-handed scenes from all sides.

She defeated the 2019 Open US champion Bianca Andreescu in the second round at Melbourne Park.

Next up for Hsieh will be the winner of the fourth round match between Naomi Osaka and Garbiñe Muguruza.

Novak Djokovic – if fit enough to play – and Serena Williams at the end of Day 7 as the fourth round of the Australian Open begins.

No spectators will be in the stands as a result of a five-day lockout imposed by the government in response to new COVID-19 cases in the region.

The first quarter finals will feature four women’s games and four men’s games on the singles schedule Sunday (Saturday EST).

Williams continues her quest to record a 24th Grand Slam singles title when she plays Aryna Sabalenka’s No. 7 seed in the second game at Rod Laver Arena.

That follows the hurdle between three-time main champion Naomi Osaka and two-time Slam award-winning Garbiñe Muguruza.

Two more Grand Slam champions, Simona Halep and Iga Swiatek, will open the night’s session in Laver.

Their game is to be followed by Djokovic, the eight-time Australian Open champion against Milos Raonic in 2016 Wimbledon – assuming Djokovic decides he can play.

Serb No. was hurt. 1-level stomach muscle when he collapsed when he won the fourth round over Taylor Fritz and jumped to practice Saturday.

Other men in action include governing Dominic Thiem, the U.S. Open champion and the man who made it in that final, Alexander Zverev.