Naomi Osaka overworked the unseeded Italians Lucia Bronzetti 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 in the first round of the French Open on Sunday to claim his first win at Roland Garros in three years.
Returning from a 15-month maternity leave this year, Osaka lost in the first round at the Australian Open in January but looked set to easily reach the second round in Paris as the former world No. 1 bombarded Bronzetti from the line end of the yard.
The four-time Grand Slam champion has not won at the French Open since 2021, when she last withdraw from the event after clashing with tournament officials for ignoring her mandatory media obligations.
“There were moments when I played pretty well, but I was quite nervous and really stressed,” Osaka said in an on-court interview.
Osaka later admitted that she was thinking about the long time between wins at a Grand Slam before regaining her composure in the third set.
“In my head I thought I hadn’t won a match in Australia, so I really wanted to win a match here,” she said. “Obviously that’s not a good way to practice thinking. … I focused on it a little too much instead of trying to play each point, and I think in the end I was able to erase that thought from my mind.” head.”
Osaka dominated the first set on a windy Philippe Chatrier Court to tie the match in the 28th minute, but her unforced errors increased sharply in the second, leaving Bronzetti to break in the crucial game at 5 -4 and someone has to decide.
But Osaka, 26, got back on track in the deciding set and had a chance to break for a 5-0 lead but appeared to fall short as world number 67 Bronzetti tried to claw her way back into the contest.
Osaka earned a crucial break in the 11th game before finally winning the tie.
The 48th ranked player, Bronzetti has never won at Roland Garros in 3 appearances. Her career record at Grand Slam tournaments is 3-10. In her most recent match at the quarterfinals of the Morocco Open last week, she led the American. Peyton Stearns 5-0 in the third set but eventually lost.
Osaka’s next opponent is the top seed and No. 1 in the world Iga Swiatek, the two-time defending French Open champion. Swiatek will face the French qualifiers Leolia Jeanjean in her first-round match on Monday.
“Honestly I’m very excited [about likely playing Swiatek]”I watched her a lot when I was pregnant and honestly, I think it’s an honor to play against her at the French Open, because because she has won here many times. It is certainly a great honor and challenge for me.”
ESPN’s D’Arcy Maine, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
