Osaka Overcomes First-round Scare At Miami Open

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka battled back from a slow start to defeat Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the first round of the Miami Open on Tuesday.

The Japanese star secured her first match win since the Australian Open, where she retired in the third round due to an abdominal injury while trailing Belinda Bencic. Her comeback follows a disappointing first-round exit at Indian Wells, which she described as the worst match of her career.

Determined to improve, Osaka adjusted her approach. I was over-hitting a lot in Indian Wells, so I tried to use my legs, she said. 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.

Despite trailing 0-5 in the opening set, Osaka turned the match around, firing 10 aces to seize control in the decider. She now faces 24th seed Liudmila Samsonova in the second round as she continues her quest for a maiden Miami Open title, having finished as runner-up in 2022.

Elsewhere, Sofia Kenin defeated defending Miami Open champion Petra Kvitova 6-4, 7-5. The 2020 Australian Open winner will meet US Open champion Coco Gauff in an all-American second-round clash.