MADRID – On Tuesday, Naomi’s clay court season in Osaka was defeated in the first round of the Madrid Open against Lucia Bronzetti.
Japan’s four-time Grand Slam champions stumbled at match points after Bronzetti completed a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory. After that, Osaka approached the net to shake hands after the match, so we checked whether it was okay.
Osaka, 55th, was not seeded in Madrid in his first match almost a month after reaching the fourth round of the Miami Open. Italian Bronzetti will play the fifth seeded American Madison Keys in the second round.
Alexandra Eerra will be rematched with Iga Swiatek in the second round in Madrid after brilliantly scrambling the Polish player as a wild card in Miami last month. The 19-year-old Ira won her first match, 6-3, 6-2 against Viktoriya Tomova.
US Caroline Drehid won 6-4, 6-4 against Erina Avanesian and set up a second round meeting with Ludmira Samsonova.