Naomi Osaka finishes strong, wins first-round match at French Open

Field Level Media|published: Sun 26th May, 11:42 2024

Mar 23, 2024; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Naomi Osaka (JPN) serves against Elina Svitolina (UKR) (not pictured) on day six of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka recorded a 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 win over unseeded Italian Lucia Bronzetti on Sunday in the first round of the French Open in Paris.

Returning from a 15-month maternity break earlier this year, Osaka split the first two sets before winning the initial four games of the third. The Japanese star rebounded after dropping the next five games to win the next three to dispatch Bronzetti.

Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, admittedly was unaware of her potential second-round foe. For the record, the 26-year-old will face the winner of the Monday match pitting No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek of Poland or French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean.

"After, I was, like, why does everyone keep asking me about this draw?" Osaka said after besting Bronzetti. "Then I knew that I was in the top half so, jokingly, I was, like, 'Well, it's not like I'm playing Iga.' Then everyone got quiet. So I was like, 'Oh.'"

Also on Sunday, ninth-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia posted a 6-4, 7-5 win over Jaqueline Cristian of Romania.

No. 30 Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine rebounded from a first-set misstep to record a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia.

No. 29 Veronika Kudermetova of Russia wasn't as fortunate. Unseeded Czech Marie Bouzkova notched a 6-2, 6-4 win over Kudermetova.

--Field Level Media

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