Jasmine Paolini Caught Naomi Osaka "Off Guard" in Miami Open

Naomi Osaka explained how Jasmine Paolini's game caught her off guard in their first-ever meeting.

Naomi Osaka lost a three-set match to Jasmine Paolini in the Miami Open. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Naomi Osaka and Jasmine Paolini had never played each other on the WTA Tour before today, and it took the four-time Grand Slam champion a few sets to adjust to Paolini's play style.

After dropping the first set, Paolini proved too much for Osaka, winning a hard-fought three-set match: 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. Paolini will play in the quarterfinal of the Miami Open.

However, Osaka is not hanging her head after the loss. During her post-match press conference, she explained how she was happy to spend time with her daughter in Miami before heading to Madrid. The 27-year-old also offered insight into how Paolini challenged her on the court.

top quality contest 🤺@naomiosaka strikes first taking the opener 6-3 against Paolini!#MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/6LKp6Z9evM

— wta (@WTA) March 24, 2025

When asked what happened during the match, Osaka said with a laugh, "I think, I don't know, the way she plays kind of catches me off guard just simply because of her height. So, I didn't know she could hit like that (laughs)."

"It was kind of interesting, but it was also really fun. She kind of reminds me of Cibulkova a little bit, just based on the height part. So yeah, really great player, obviously," concluded Osaka.

When asked how she felt, Osaka struck a positive tone and credited Paolini's style and said it was hard to figure out.

"Definitely disappointed with the loss, but I'm really happy with how much I fought. Maybe last year, definitely, probably, wouldn't have fought like that towards the end," said Osaka.

Bringing the firepower 🧨 #MiamiOpen | @naomiosaka pic.twitter.com/H8WziZQBGV

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) March 24, 2025

She added, "So, I'm excited to play her because I never played her before. It's nice to watch someone on TV and then figure out their game. Excited to play her again, hopefully."

Fans should not feel bad for Osaka as she is in a great mindset after her loss. She even said, "My life is pretty great."

Plus, she is playing at a high level again. Osaka is 9-4 on the season and looks more like her old self on the court.