Naomi Osaka returns to grass after 5 years with emphatic win against top 35 player Elise Mertens in Libema 1R
Naomi Osaka kicked off her grass-court season in impressive fashion by defeating the World No. 32 Elise Mertens in the first round of the Libema Open. This victory marks her first triumph on grass in five years.
Osaka has not participated in Wimbledon since 2019 due to a combination of personal decisions and physical issues. She skipped the 2020 edition due to the tournament being canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, she withdrew from Wimbledon to spend time with friends and family after prioritizing her mental health. In 2022, she was sidelined by an Achilles injury and didn't participate last year owing to pregnancy.
The former World No. 1 started off her Libema Open campaign in great fashion by convincingly defeating fourth-seeded Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-4 in the first round. Osaka received a wildcard entry into the tournament and dominated Mertens, finishing the match in just 70 minutes. With this victory, the Japanese has extended her head-to-head lead over Mertens to 4-2.
Following the match, Osaka celebrated her grass-court victory on X, accompanied by the caption:
"First grass court W in 5 years"
Osaka has not been able to maintain her peak form during the 2024 WTA season. Her best performance came at the Qatar Open, where she was defeated by Karolina Pliskova in the quarterfinals.
Although her clay court swing was not successful, the 26-year-old is now focused on the ongoing grass season, where she has begun on a winning note after five years.
"Honestly, it’s not the worst" - Naomi Osaka after losing to Iga Swiatek in the second round of the 2024 French Open
Naomi Osaka's previous encounter was against Iga Swiatek in the second round of the French Open. Despite losing the first set in a close tiebreaker, Osaka convincingly won the second set 6-1. She seemed poised to end Swiatek's three-peat hopes, leading 3-0 and holding a match point in the final set. However, Swiatek made a remarkable comeback to secure the victory 7-6(1), 1-6, 7-5.
Naomi Osaka admitted later in the post-match press conference that she was in tears after coming so close to winning and then losing it eventually. She recalled watching Swiatek win the tournament the previous year while she was on a break, dreaming of the day she could compete again. This perspective helped her appreciate her progress and feel positive about her performance.
"Honestly, it’s not the worst. Like, I felt worse, for sure. I cried when I got off the court. But then for me, I kind of realized that I was watching Iga win this tournament last year and I was pregnant. And it was just my dream to be able to play here. So when I think of it like that, I think I’m doing pretty well," Osaka said.
However, the Japanese was not the only one who showed emotions after the match; Iga Swiatek cried uncontrollably in relief when she realized she had edged past Osaka.
While Osaka has not won a Major on the grass court, she will look to claim her first this year as she returns after five years at the Wimbledon Championships.