Naomi Osaka Avoids Early Exit at Miami Open with Comeback Win
Naomi Osaka narrowly escaped an early exit at the Miami Open, rallying to defeat Yuliia Starodubtseva 3-6, 6-4, 6-2. The former World No. 1 started off shaky, making several unforced errors, but once she found her rhythm, she took control of the match.
Starodubtseva put up a strong fight, but as Osaka grew more confident, it became increasingly difficult for the Ukrainian to keep pace. Up next, Osaka will take on 24th seed Liudmila Samsonova, who enters the second round on a high after an impressive run to the Indian Wells quarterfinals, where she defeated two top-12 opponents.
First Set: A Shaky Start for Osaka
Ranked No. 61, Osaka struggled with her serve from the beginning, giving World No. 108 Starodubtseva multiple break point opportunities early on. The four-time Grand Slam champion lacked consistency, frequently relying on her second serve.
Starodubtseva quickly capitalized, breaking Osaka twice and storming to a commanding 5-0 lead. Although Osaka managed to hold serve and recover one break, it wasn’t enough to mount a comeback. The Ukrainian secured the set 6-3, posting an impressive 82% first-serve success rate compared to Osaka’s 47%.
Second Set: Osaka Finds Her Groove
Despite Starodubtseva’s momentum, Osaka started settling into the match. However, the Ukrainian earned a mid-set break to lead 4-2, triggering visible frustration from Osaka, who slammed her racket to the ground.
At 3-4, Osaka battled through multiple deuces in a critical game, eventually breaking back to level the score. This shift in momentum proved decisive, as she won four consecutive games to claim the set 6-4. Osaka’s performance improved significantly, winning 65% of her service points and 44% on return—much stronger than her first set numbers.
Third Set: Osaka in Control
Following a short break, Osaka returned with a renewed sense of focus. Holding her first service game comfortably, she made a few forehand errors but dominated from the baseline with the crowd cheering her on.
A break in the fourth game and a key hold in the fifth where she saved two break points pushed Osaka ahead 4-1. Having won eight of the last nine games, she maintained control, closing out the match after nearly two and a half hours with a final score of 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Osaka now faces World No. 21 Liudmila Samsonova in what promises to be a thrilling second-round showdown.
