Naomi Osaka vs. Jelena Ostapenko: Match Preview
Two former Grand Slam champions, and two players who have spent years trying in vain to regain that top-tier form.
Ostapenko won her lone major at Roland Garros in 2017, on her 20th birthday. She’s currently ranked 26th, but is just 17-14 in 2025.
Osaka won four Slams from 2018 to 2021, but hasn’t made it past the third round at a major since. She’s ranked 49th, but has actually had a better season—she’s 23-11—than Ostapenko.
The two have placed twice, and Osaka won both times. The most recent and relevant of those results was her 6-3, 6-2 victory at the US Open last year.
Take that head-to-head record and Ostapenko’s middling form, and you can probably make Osaka the favorite, despite her lower ranking and well-publicized struggles. She also made a great escape in her last round, saving match points and beating Liudmila Samsonova in three sets. It’s the kind of win that, in theory, could boost her confidence and kick-start her season.
Osaka has appeared to be on the verge of that type of breakthrough more than once over the past two years, only to take a step back again. Will it be different this time? Winner: Osaka