Avenging last year’s first-round Australian Open match to the same opponent, France’s Caroline Garcia, Naomi Osaka goes the three-set distance to secure the win.
Same court. Same opponent. Different result 👏
After losing to Caroline Garcia last year in the first round, Naomi Osaka flips the script this year to move into the second round! @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/RQ8594jpMl
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 13, 2025
Osaka is a two-time Grand Slam champion. She is trying to claw her way back into the top of the WTA rankings and the hardcourt conversations that World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka currently owns. This is her first win at the Australian Open since 2022.
A Big Win For Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka, with new coach Patrick Mourataglou, is determined to get the results in 2025. Otherwise, she has spoken of stepping aside from the game to be at home with her daughter Shai. Osaka recently announced she split with Shai’s father and longtime boyfriend, rapper Cordae.
At her best, Osaka can challenge the best players in the world with her sold shotmaking. Getting the confidence and match play reps after over a year away from the WTA Tour has been more challenging than she could have expected.
Osaka edged Garcia 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Naomi Osaka is coming off a good start to the season where she made the ASB Classic final last week but was forced to retire with the lead because of an abdominal injury.
She has not been specific about the injury but said that an MRI showed that it was not bad but not good either.
There is no rest for the weary as Osaka’s brutal draw continues with a second-round match against Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova.
Caroline Garcia shut down her 2024 season early to focus on her mental health, among other things. She had been the target of terrible online messages, something that is sadly becoming more common. Garcia got engaged in the offseason and is currently starting 2025 without a coach, choosing to forge her own path.
