Naomi Osaka triumphs on clay: clinches first title since 2021
The former World No. 1 secures her first clay-court title and first trophy since returning from maternity leave.
Naomi Osaka captured her first title in four years by winning the 2025 L’Open 35 de Saint-Malo, a WTA 125 clay-court event in France. In the final, Osaka defeated Slovenia’s Kaja Juvan in straight sets, 6–1, 7–5, marking her first career title on clay and her first tournament victory.
This victory is particularly significant as it comes after Osaka’s return to professional tennis in 2024, following a hiatus for maternity leave, giving birth to her daughter Shai, and mental health reasons. The 27-year-old former World No. 1 expressed her satisfaction on social media, addressing past criticisms and celebrating personal growth.
Her victory is projected to propel her back into the WTA top 50 rankings.
To secure her first title since 2021, Naomi Osaka navigated a challenging draw at the 2025 L’Open 35 de Saint-Malo. She began with a commanding 6–2, 6–1 victory over Petra Marcinko in the first round. In the second round, Osaka faced a tough test against France’s Diane Parry, rallying from a set down to win 2–6, 6–3, 6–4. She then defeated Elsa Jacquemot 6–3, 6–4 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Osaka overcame Leolia Jeanjean 6–2, 4–6, 6–0, showing her resilience and adaptability on clay. Finally, she clinched the title by defeating Kaja Juvan 6–1, 7–5 in the final.
Osaka is also set to compete in the upcoming French Open, a tournament where she has yet to progress beyond the third round despite being a four-time Grand Slam champion.
Inside the Baseline…
Naomi Osaka’s triumph in Saint-Malo is more than just a title win. It shows her resilience and adaptability. Naomi Osaka’s return to the winner’s circle at a smaller clay-court event like Saint-Malo is less about making a statement and more about building a base. She’s not trying to dominate headlines. She’s trying to find rhythm, match toughness, and confidence on a surface that has never come naturally. If she carries that steady mentality into Roland Garros, she won’t need hype to be dangerous. It’ll just be more about match play and belief.
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