Naomi Osaka turns near defeat moment into a dramatic victory at the Italian Open

Naomi Osaka made an impressive comeback in her second-round match against Viktorija Golubic at the Italian Open. After a rough start to the game and losing the first set, Osaka showed her determination and won the match 2-6, 7-5, 6-1. 

A social media post made by WTA shared: “A Roman Revival’ Down 4-5,@naomiosak takes the second set 7-5 and forces a decider in Rome!” 

Netizens commented on the post and said: “What a comeback from one game behind”, “Naomi’s fighting spirit is unstoppable!”, and “Vamos! Great recovery by Osaka”

Last-minute replacement 

Osaka was set to play against Paula Badosa, but after Badosa and Petra Kvitova withdrew from the tournament, she faced Viktorija Golubic instead. Despite entering the tournament as a last-minute replacement, Golubic showed that she was a tough opponent to beat due to her unusual style of play — lots of slice and changes in pace. Golubic’s tactics messed with Osaka’s rhythm, making it difficult for Osaka to keep up with her usual game. 

Highlights of the match 

The first set was a disaster for Osaka, who then looked upset and somehow emotional. She missed several forehands and had an issue with her timing, losing the set with a score of 2-6. 

There was also a moment when she threw her racket out of frustration and got a warning for unsportsmanlike behaviour. The majority of Osaka’s frustrations came from her opponent’s smart strategy of using slow serves and tricky slices. One commentator observed during the game, “She’s [Osaka] complaining that the serve is too slow.” 

Moving forward, Osaka looked like she was about to lose and make an early and unexpected exit, but everything changed. She broke serve easily and played aggressively. From then on, she took control of the match, and began reading Golubic’s tactics better. With this, she won three games in a row to take the second set with a score of 7-5. 

She continued dominating the match during the third set at 6-1. Osaka then won the match despite all of the pressure and setbacks. This match truly served as a good practice for the athlete, and a huge confidence boost as well, as she aims for another major title this 2025 season. 

In another social media post, WTA stated: “FIGHTING SPIRIT 🗣️🗣️🗣️”

Netizens also shared their thoughts and reactions in the comments and said: “You were brave Naomi ❤️”, “Great match from Osaka!”, and “Crazy comeback!👏🔥”