Naomi Osaka, the former world No. 1 in tennis, is eager to compete with the elite once more. She recently dug deep to secure a three-set victory over Yuliia Starodubtseva in the opening round of the Miami Open, marking a significant step in her comeback journey.
In a match that saw Osaka flip the script after dropping the first set, she defeated Ukraine’s Starodubtseva with scores of 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. This win is particularly significant as it’s her first since advancing to the second round of the Australian Open back in January.
This comes on the heels of a challenging period for Osaka, who candidly branded her first-round defeat to Camila Osorio at Indian Wells as the “worst match I’ve ever played in my life.”
Reflecting on her performance, Osaka expressed her determination, saying, “I want to play with the big dogs so bad and I just see everyone playing so well and I want to do the same.” Yet, she acknowledges the importance of patience, adding, “But I have to remember it’s a process.”
Osaka, a winner of four Grand Slam titles, has stepped away from tennis on multiple occasions to focus on her mental health and more recently, to take a maternity break. Since her last Grand Slam victory at the Australian Open in 2021, reaching beyond the third round in major tournaments has eluded her.
Speaking about her recent experience, Osaka shared, “I knew that I wasn’t playing too well, but I thought, ‘let me try to stay on the court as long as possible,’ because I consider Miami my home.” She also pinpointed what went wrong at Indian Wells: “I was just over-hitting a lot, so I tried to use my legs.”
Determined to adapt her playstyle, Osaka vowed, “I was going to run into every corner if I had to, and we were going to have to play for three hours if she was going to beat me.” With this kind of resolve, her journey back to the top seems promising as she gradually rekindles her competitive fire.
