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Naomi Osaka Fights Back to Win 1st Round Match at Miami Open

Naomi Osaka pulled off a comeback against Yuliia Starodubtseva to win in the first round at the Miami Open.
Pat Benson|
Mar 18, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Naomi Osaka (JPN) reacts after losing a game against against Yulia Starodubtseva (UKR) (not pictured) on day one of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.
Mar 18, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Naomi Osaka (JPN) reacts after losing a game against against Yulia Starodubtseva (UKR) (not pictured) on day one of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

On a sun-drenched day in South Beach, Naomi Osaka pulled off a comeback victory over Yuliia Starodubtseva in the first round of the Miami Open: 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Starodubtseva, a qualifier, was coming off two wins in as many days only to meet a four-time Grand Slam champion in the first round. The unseeded Osaka fell behind a set and a break before coming back to win the second and third sets in epic fashion.

Osaka made it her strategy to fight for every single point, turning the match into a three-set marathon that ran 2 hours and 28 minutes.

Osaka said in her on-court interview, "I knew that I wasn't playing too well, but I thought, let me try to stay on the court as long as possible because I consider Miami my home."

She continued, "(In Indian Wells) I was just over-hitting a lot, so I tried to use my legs. I was going to run into every corner if I had to, and we were going to have to play for three hours if she was going to beat me."

Today marks Osaka's first victory since her second-round win at the Australian Open in January. Osaka retired mid-match to Belinda Bencic due to a lingering abdominal injury, missing the rest of January and February.

After missing time, Osaka returned to action last week against Camila Osorio at Indian Wells. She called the loss to Osorio the "worst match in my life."

Osaka is currently the WTA World No. 61 with a record of 7-3. She will face the 24-seed Liudmila Samsonova in the second round on Friday, March 21.

Osaka and Samsonova have split their two prior meetings, both of which came last year. Samsonova took Indian Wells, while Osaka won in Madrid later in the year.

Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers professional tennis for Serve on Sports Illustrated, reporting on ATP and WTA events worldwide. From Challenger tournaments to Grand Slams, he brings readers in-depth coverage, daily recaps, and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport. With a decade of experience in sports journalism, Pat is recognized as a trusted voice in tennis media. You can contact him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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