Tearful Osaka battles injury to reach Japan quarter-finals

Osaka, Japan: Naomi Osaka battled through injury and her emotions to reach the quarter finals of the Japan Open on Wednesday, choking back tears after...

Osaka, Japan: Naomi Osaka battled through injury and her emotions to reach the quarter-finals of the Japan Open on Wednesday, choking back tears after hitting the winning shot against defending champion Suzan Lamens.

Top seed Osaka, playing a singles tournament in her native Japan for the first time in three years, won 7-6 (8/6), 3-6, 6-2 to set up a last-eight match against Romania's Jaqueline Cristian.

"Emotionally I was going through a lot in this match," said Osaka.

"And then in the third set I tried my best to have no regrets."

The former world number one was leading 5-0 in the final set in the city of Osaka when she needed a medical timeout to receive treatment on her left leg.