Naomi Osaka survives first-round scare at Miami Open, sets up Samsonova clash

Naomi Osaka avoided a first-round disaster at the Miami Open, overcoming Yuliia Starodubtseva 3-6, 6-4, 6-2. The former World No. 1 had a rocky start, filled with errors, but once she found her rhythm, she took control of the match.

The Ukrainian put up a solid fight, but once Osaka gained confidence, it became harder for Starodubtseva to keep up. Up next, Osaka will face 24th seed Liudmila Samsonova in the second round. Samsonova arrives in Miami full of confidence after reaching the Indian Wells quarterfinals, taking down two top-12 players along the way.

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First Set

Osaka (No. 61) struggled with her serve from the outset. Starodubtseva (No. 108) broke early after Osaka handed her three break point opportunities. The four-time Grand Slam champion’s serve was shaky, often relying on her second serve.

Once the Ukrainian secured the first break, she tightened her grip on the match, capitalising on Osaka’s constant errors. With a second break, Starodubtseva raced to a 5-0 lead, leaving Osaka looking lost and frustrated.

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With little to lose in the set, Osaka loosened up, managed to hold serve, and retrieved one break, but it wasn’t enough to mount a comeback. The set ended 6-3 in favour of Starodubtseva, who boasted an 82% first-serve percentage compared to Osaka’s poor 47%. The Ukrainian converted 2/4 break points, while Osaka only managed 1/2.

Second Set

Despite Starodubtseva’s edge, Osaka seemed to have shaken off her early nerves, looking more composed in the second set. However, a mid-set break gave the Ukrainian a 4-2 lead, prompting visible frustration from Osaka, who even slammed her racket on the ground.

At 3-4, Osaka faced multiple deuces in a crucial game, finally breaking back to level the score. This proved to be the turning point. Osaka’s confidence soared as she strung together four consecutive games to take the set 6-4. Her game improved significantly, winning 65% of her service points and 44% on return — a stark contrast from the first set.

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Third Set

After a brief toilet break, Osaka returned to the court with renewed focus, holding her first service game with ease. Though she still made a few forehand errors, her dominance from the baseline was clear, and the crowd rallied behind the 2022 runner-up.

A break in the fourth game and a crucial hold in the fifth — where she saved two break points — pushed Osaka to a 4-1 lead, winning eight of the last nine games. With a clear advantage, Osaka didn’t let her grip slip, sealing the win after nearly two and a half hours: 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Up next, she faces World No. 21 Liudmila Samsonova in what promises to be an exciting second-round clash.

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