Naomi Osaka wasn’t able to qualify for the main draw of the 2024 Cincinnati Open, losing in the final round of the qualifying.
Due to her ranking being only 95th right now and the Cincinnati Open being historically packed even with all the best players, Osaka was one of the players who had to play the qualifiers to get into the main draw. The qualifiers consist of two matches, and to get into the main draw, the player needs to win both.
Still, a losing player can get in as a lucky loser. It happens when a player withdraws at the last minute, after which they get replaced by a losing qualifier. Ideally, a player in the qualifying wants to win both matches, and that's what Osaka tried to do.
She had a good start as she was able to beat Anna Blinkova, but she needed three sets. It wasn't the cleanest match, as she's generally struggled to keep matches that clean lately. The way these hard courts play these days also allows for more frequent breaks, so longer matches aren't that unusual.
The opponent wasn't any easier in the final round because she faced Ashlyn Krueger. The American has been a really decent performer at times in the past, and she's certainly a tricky player to beat when she's at her best. Krueger's first set was pretty good, and she was able to navigate a tricky first set quite well.
She would trouble Osaka in the rallies because she's a capable baseliner who doesn't mind trading blows. Both players served badly, but Osaka was particularly inconsistent, and it was a shame for her because these courts do reward players who serve well. Osaka's game also heavily depends on the serve because it makes things much easier.
Not having served well really hurt her in the opening set, but she was able to make a better start in the second. After dropping the first 3-6, Osaka broke early in the 2nd and took a 2-0 lead. Osaka would keep playing well in that set, totally outplaying her opponent and taking it 6-2.
She still didn't hit her first serve most of the time, but the Japanese player played far better in the second set. Her hitting was better. She also hit four aces and basically dropped only one point behind her serve. She also outplayed Krueger on her second serve, which was always the way to win the match.
The former World No. 1 had to play well on her own serve and be aggressive on the second serve of her opponent. The Japanese opened the third set with an early break, which was ideal because it never allowed Krueger to bounce back. Osaka just kept applying the pressure, and it worked out well. For a while, at least.
In a bizarre turn, Osaka lost her serve, allowing Krueger to make it 3-3 and then 5-3. She would go on to lose five games in a row and lose the final set 3-6 after being up 3-1. Now, she has to wait and see if she can get in as a lucky loser, even though the chances are minimal.