Naomi Osaka Shares Insight on 17-Year-Old Wildcard Opponent After Victory at Japan Open

Naomi Osaka has made a strong return to her home turf at the Japan Open in Osaka. After parting ways with her former coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, following Wimbledon, Osaka has enlisted Iga Swiatek’s former coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski, for guidance. This change seems to have benefitted her performance, as she reached the finals of the Canadian Open and the semifinals at the US Open. However, her time in China was more challenging, with only one win recorded.

Osaka Triumphs Over 17-Year-Old Wildcard Opponent

In her first match at the Japan Open, Osaka faced 17-year-old Japanese player Wakana Sonobe. This match marked a significant moment for both players, as it was their first encounter on the court. Sonobe is the reigning Australian Open junior champion and has achieved remarkable progress, moving up from outside the top 800 to her current ranking of world number 266 in 2025. Osaka defeated Sonobe decisively, with a score of 6-0, 6-4.

Osaka’s Impressions of Her Opponent

Despite the lopsided score, Osaka expressed admiration for the young talent. In her post-match interview, she commented, “Thank you for coming out. I thought it was a really good match. She is going to be an amazing player, so I hope you guys had a lot of fun watching.” She also mentioned, “It was really tough. I did not know how she played beforehand so I tried to understand during the match. I was just having a lot of fun.”

Feedback for Improvement After the Match

While Osaka’s victory only took 76 minutes, she acknowledged areas for improvement. Historically known for her powerful serve, she won 84% of points on her first serve, yet her first-serve percentage was notably below 50%. Sky Sports commentator Oscar Chamberlain suggested that increasing this percentage could enhance her performance, as it was recorded at just 47%.

• First serve points won: 84%
• Second serve points won: 72%
• First serve percentage: 47%

Osaka continues to chase her first main tour title since winning at the Australian Open in 2021. She is now set to face the winner of the match between Emiliana Arango and Suzan Lamens in her next round at the Japan Open.