Naomi Osaka, of Japan, returns the ball against Lucia Bronzetti, of Italy, during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Former No. 1 Naomi Osaka takes first title in 4 years and her first on clay
SAINT-MALO, France (AP) 鈥 Four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka claimed her first WTA title since triumphing at the 2021 Australian Open 鈥 and on her seemingly worst surface.
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, returns the ball against Lucia Bronzetti, of Italy, during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
SAINT-MALO, France (AP) 鈥 Four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka claimed her first WTA title since triumphing at the 2021 Australian Open 鈥 and on her seemingly worst surface.
Osaka beat Kaja Juvan 6-1, 7-5 Sunday to win L鈥橭pen 35 de Saint-Malo 鈥 a WTA 125 tournament 鈥 and secure her first ever trophy on clay.
It was also the Japanese player鈥檚 first WTA title since she became a mother in July 2023, returning to tennis at the start of the following year.
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鈥淜inda ironic to win my first trophy back on the surface that I thought was my worst,鈥 . 鈥淭hat鈥檚 one of my favorite things about life though, there鈥檚 always room to grow and evolve.
鈥淭hanks to everyone accompanying me on this journey, I know it鈥檚 turbulent but it鈥檚 also really fun and I鈥檓 grateful.鈥
The former world No. 1 will rise to No. 48 in the WTA rankings on Monday.
Osaka has two Australian Open and two U.S. Open crowns on hard courts but has a poor record at the French Open and before the second round to take a mental health break.
The 27-year-old’s clay-court season had started with a loss in the first round of the Madrid Open last month.
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