Naomi Osaka registers first win on clay since 2022 in Madrid

Four-time grand slam champion, Naomi Osaka, has last won on clay 726 days ago.

Naomi Osaka, the former world No. 1, has rediscovered her winning touch on clay courts, securing her first victory on the surface in nearly two years after dispatching lucky loser Greet Minnen 6-4, 6-1 in an hour and 19 minutes at the Madrid Open 2024.

Osaka’s astounding win marks her journey back to the top echelons of the sport after returning from maternity leave in January. Currently ranked No. 197, the four-time Grand Slam champion served up a masterclass against an opponent whose strengths lie on surfaces other than clay.

The Japanese star’s serve was a formidable weapon, firing eight aces and facing just one break point throughout the encounter. This impressive display allowed her to dictate the tempo of the match, keeping Minnen on the defensive.

Minnen, ranked No. 69, employed a tactics-heavy approach, relying heavily on drop shots to disrupt Osaka’s rhythm. However, the Belgian’s strategy ultimately proved ineffective against the Japanese player’s growing familiarity with the tactic as the match progressed.

Despite both players finishing with 19 winners apiece, Osaka’s superior shot selection and lower unforced error count (23 to Minnen’s 30) proved decisive in securing the straight-sets victory.

Osaka’s last clay-court victory came almost two years ago, when she defeated Anastasia Potapova in the first round of the 2022 Madrid Open. Her second-round opponent this year will be a familiar foe, No. 15 seed Liudmila Samsonova, whom she conquered in a hard-fought battle at Indian Wells just seven weeks ago.

While Osaka’s clay-court journey this season began with a first-round exit at the Rouen WTA 250 event against former Roland Garros semifinalist Martina Trevisan, her performance in Madrid suggests that she is steadily finding her rhythm on the red dirt.

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