Osaka keeps up win streak with China Open title

Japan’s Naomi Osaka fought back from a set down to beat Australian world No. 1 Ash Barty 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the final of the China Open in Beijing on Sunday.

It was world No. 4 Osaka’s second title in the Asian swing after clinching the Pan Pacific Open in Japan last month and she is yet to lose a match since her fourthround exit at the U.S. Open, extending her run to 10 victories.

In a battle between two of the year’s Grand Slam champions, Australian Open winner Osaka broke the reigning French Open champion Barty three times and dropped serve only once in the one-hour, 50-minute encounter.

It was Osaka’s second win over a fellow Grand Slam champion at the tournament after she beat U.S. Open winner Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., in another three-set match in the quarter-finals.

“Basically I was telling myself to keep fighting even though my attitude was really trash — ‘this is a final, I’m really privileged to be here in the first place, so keep fighting!’ ” Osaka said.

“I feel like I wasn’t that calm here (at the tournament). I threw my racket, like, once every match. I really wanted to win here, I felt like I had something to prove.”

Top-seeded Serbian Novak Djokovic capped a stellar week in Tokyo with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Australian qualifier John Millman in the final of the Rakuten Japan Open on Sunday.

Djokovic, who didn’t drop a set all week, was playing in the event for the first time.

It’s the 76th career title for the World No. 1 and third this year.

Top-seeded Dominic Thiem of Austria outlasted third-seeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 to claim the title in Beijing.

It’s the fourth title of the season for Thiem.