NEW YORK, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka beat Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 here on Monday to advance into the U.S. Open women's singles quarterfinals.
Osaka, the 20th seed, became the first Japanese woman to reach the quarters of a Grand Slam in 14 years. The last one had been Shinobu Asagoe at the 2004 U.S. Open.
As Osaka, who was born in Osaka, Japan, has dual Japanese and American citizenship, her father decided to register her with the Japan Tennis Association when she began her career, turning pro in September 2013.
Osaka is an aggressive and offensive baseliner with big forehand. Her serve is consistent and very strong, up to 125 miles per hour.
In the quarterfinals, Osaka will take on the winners of the duel between Czech player Marketa Vondrousova and Ukranian Lesia Tsurenko.