Naomi Osaka Claims First Title in Four Years

Naomi Osaka has captured her first title in four years by winning the L’Open 35 De Saint Malo, a WTA 125 event on clay courts in France.

In the finals, Osaka defeated Slovenia’s Kaja Juvan with a score of 6-1, 7-5. This victory marks her first title on clay since the 2021 Australian Open and her first tournament win overall since then.

The 27-year-old Osaka has celebrated her return to professional tennis after the birth of her daughter, Shay, in July 2023. Interestingly, she recently posted on social media seeking someone with “someone to say” to, hinting at those she doesn’t particularly like.

Sharing her thoughts online, Osaka mentioned, “It’s kind of ironic to win my first trophy on the surface I thought was the worst.” She reflected further, saying, “There’s always room for growth and evolution.”

Before clinching the title in St. Malo, Osaka navigated through matches against players like Petra Marcinko, Diane Parry, Elsa Jacquesmott, and Leoria Janjan.

Remarkably, she only dropped one set during the entire tournament. Following this win, she is projected to return to the top 50 in the WTA rankings. There are also expectations for her participation in the upcoming French Open, commencing later this month.

It’s worth noting that Osaka has yet to progress beyond the third round of the French Open, a feat she achieved in 2016, 2018, and 2019. The tournament is set to start on May 25th.