Naomi Osaka’s journey at the 2025 Miami Open has taken a significant step forward as she overcame a tough challenge against Hailey Baptiste in the Round of 32. The four-time Grand Slam champion, currently ranked 61st in the world, battled through a grueling three-set match to secure a 7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 6-4 victory over the 98th-ranked American. This win not only marks her return to the tournament’s Round of 16 for the third time since 2022 but also highlights the growing impact of her partnership with coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
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Reflecting on her initial hesitations about Mouratoglou, Osaka admitted that she was unsure about their compatibility due to his strong persona. However, over time, their collaboration has started to yield results. Since joining her team ahead of the China Open last year, Mouratoglou has played a crucial role in refining Osaka’s game and boosting her confidence. Following her hard-fought victory, he expressed his admiration for her performance, emphasizing the importance of resilience and problem-solving in tennis. Sharing images from the match, he praised Osaka’s determination, acknowledging the challenges she faced and overcame on the court.
The match against Baptiste was a true test of Osaka’s mental and physical endurance. The first set saw both players holding serve in a tightly contested battle, pushing the set into a tiebreak. Despite a momentary setback where she lost a mini-break, Osaka quickly regained her composure, ultimately winning the tiebreak 8-6 to claim the set.
However, Baptiste responded strongly in the second set, coming out with aggressive play and breaking Osaka’s serve early. Although Osaka managed to break back, a series of unforced errors and a double fault at a crucial moment led to her losing the set 3-6.
With the match hanging in the balance, both players gave their all in the deciding third set. Baptiste initially gained the upper hand by breaking Osaka in the fifth game, but the former world No. 1 refused to back down. She fought back to break Baptiste’s serve, shifting the momentum in her favor. As the match neared its conclusion, Osaka’s experience and resilience proved decisive, as she secured one final break to close out the match after nearly three hours of intense play.
Following the victory, Osaka reflected on her journey and the challenges she has faced in her comeback. She admitted that during her time away from the sport, she struggled with maintaining the fighting spirit that once defined her game. Looking back at her performances last year, she noted that while she had some good matches, she often found it difficult to win when she wasn’t playing at her absolute best. However, her ability to battle through adversity in this match reinforced the importance of perseverance, and she hopes to continue improving through such experiences.
Osaka’s next challenge at the Miami Open will be against the tournament’s sixth seed, Jasmine Paolini of Italy. A victory in the Round of 16 would mark another significant milestone in her return to form, matching her best WTA 1000 result since coming back from maternity leave. Earlier this year, she reached the quarterfinals at the Doha Open, showing promising signs of resurgence.
As Osaka prepares for her upcoming match, tennis fans eagerly await to see if she can maintain her momentum and continue her deep run in Miami. Will she overcome Paolini and take another step toward reclaiming her place among the elite?