Tokyo, 29 October: Mia Pohankova stunned former champion Naomi Osaka in the women’s singles section of the Toray Pan Pacific Open to register the biggest win of her career in Tokyo.
The World No.144 Pohankova defeated 2019 Tokyo champion Osaka in one hour and 35 minutes, 6-3, 7-5 to march into the quarterfinals in her first main-draw appearance at a WTA 500-level tournament.
Pohankova, last year’s Wimbledon junior singles champion, has reached a tour-level quarterfinal for the fourth time in her career. She will be up against American Alycia Parks in the quarterfinal. “I believe (in myself) all the time, and yes, it’s a really good match against her,” Pohankova said after her win. “She’s a really good player, and I’m just proud of myself. I’m really happy, and I hope it’s just the start of my career.”
“She played very well, but I won the first set. In the second set, I was just saying she needs to do something better, and I’m just trying to focus on every point. There was like no break in the second set. And it’s really tough against her, but on the last point, I said, oh, it’s a chance, and when she put the forehand out, it’s a good feeling, a very good feeling,” she said.
Pohankova has been impressing many with her performances, having established herself as an emerging star. She was ranked No.659 at this time last year, won an ITF W75 title early this season and was the finalist at an ITF W100 event in April.
