Keys saves match points at NBO while Osaka cruises in under an hour

But if she’s in that situation, the American knows how to get out of it. 

Keys did it again at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers, saving a pair of match points en route to a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over Karolina Muchova that booked her spot in the Montreal quarter-finals. 

“I think ideally you win matches not being match point down,” smiled Keys. “But if you are able to tough it out and figure it out, I think it just gives you a little bit of confidence. 

“I feel I’ve had a lot of matches this season where I may not have played my best tennis the entire time but in important moments, I’ve been able to figure it out.”

The most famous match point save of Keys’ career had to have been against Iga Swiatek in the Australian Open semi-finals in January. 

Keys then went on to win her long awaited first Grand Slam title by ousting Aryna Sabalenka in another three-set nailbiter. 

Going into this season, Keys vowed to not hold back in tough moments in matches. 

The 30-year-old sure went for it Sunday when up against the first match point at 4-5 in the third set, crunching an inside-out forehand very close to the line. Later in the rally, she forced a forehand error from the Czech.

Keys was understandably quizzed about the point afterwards. 

“You’re not the first person to ask me how close that ball was,” said Keys. “I was like, ‘I think it was easily in.’ I just feel like for me to play my best tennis is when I’m going after things. I had no doubts. I was very confident about that one.”

If Muchova couldn’t do much about the first match point, the 2023 French Open finalist — edged by Swiatek in three sets at Roland Garros — will rue what happened on the second one. Her second serve return sailed wide. 

Momentum with her, Keys broke for 6-5 with a backhand down the line that left the Montreal crowd mesmerized. 

It’s a shot that her coach and husband Bjorn Fratangelo doesn’t necessarily like.

“I think that ball was kind of one of those balls I hit in practice where he rolls his eyes and says I should go cross court,” said the 2016 Montreal finalist, another smile surfacing. “And I always like to remind him that those are important to hit because you never know when you need it. It’s kind of a running joke.”

Keys picked up her ninth win from a set down this season — the same tally as in the four previous seasons combined. 

But Muchova’s comeback from a left wrist injury seems to be gathering pace. 

Osaka wins in under an hour 

Another power baseliner, Naomi Osaka, reached her first WTA 1000 quarter-final since early 2024. 

Osaka didn’t need to spend anywhere near as much time on court as Keys, defeating fellow mom Anastasija Sevastova 6-1, 6-0 in 50 minutes. 

“I think today was obviously faster than I thought it would be, but I'm really happy with how the game plan went,” said the four-time Grand Slam winner. 

The 35-year-old Sevastova — recently back from a second ACL surgery — found it difficult to recover after upsetting two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula on Friday. 

Osaka, by contrast, has surged after saving her own match points against Liudmila Samsonova in the second round — on Samsonova’s serve. 

She’s undefeated under new coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, who formerly guided Swiatek. 

“I think for me what's working well is I am very confident in my fitness,” said Osaka. “I’m really comfortable just getting balls back now, and I really enjoy Tomasz. 

“I enjoy his coaching style. He's very direct and to the point. For someone like me, who my thoughts scatter around often, it's very helpful.”

Coco Gauff’s singles tournament ended Saturday courtesy of Canadian teen sensation Victoria Mboko but Gauff and partner McCartney Kessler progressed to the semi-finals in doubles with a 6-4, 3-6, 10-7 win over Barbora Krejcikova and Jelena Ostapenko. 

Photo: Mathieu Bélanger