AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam singles champion, kicked off her 2025 season with a strong performance, defeating Julia Grabher with a score of 7-5, 6-3 on Wednesday, thereby securing her spot in the quarterfinals of the Auckland tennis classic.
Osaka faced challenging conditions, including swirling winds and a lengthy rain delay, yet she managed to progress effortlessly through the second round. Despite the wind affecting her ball toss at times, Osaka maintained her serve throughout the match, breaking Grabher once in each set. This victory marks Osaka’s return to the Auckland quarterfinals, a feat she last achieved during her visit to New Zealand in 2017.
“She was a really tough opponent for me to play against and I felt I just had to concentrate on myself a lot and try not to be as nervous as I felt,” remarked Osaka after the match, acknowledging the difficulties she faced on the court.
Osaka also credited her new coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who has a strong background working with superstar Serena Williams, saying, “I got some great advice from a great coach over there. I just tried to focus on my bullet points and go out swinging if I had to go out. But fortunately, I’m here to play another round.”
Notably, Osaka showed no signs of the back injury that had sidelined her during the 2024 season, particularly at the China Open in October. She displayed impressive mobility, effectively utilizing her powerful forehand, though she opted for the net sparingly yet with impact.
Her first serve proved to be a significant advantage, as she won an impressive 80% of points when landing her serve in play. The first set remained competitive with neither player managing to secure a break until the critical 12th game. Following the rain delay when she was leading 40-15, Osaka elevated her game by holding serve and breaking Grabher right away to clinch the first set.
In the second set, she continued her strong performance by holding serve without losing a point in two of her first three service games, ultimately breaking Grabher in the sixth game for a 4-2 lead. Osaka maintained her composure and comfortably held serve to close the match on her first match point.
The Auckland tournament serves as a preparatory event for the Australian Open, set to commence on January 12. However, it faced a reduction in its headline athletes’ roster when former U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu withdrew due to a back injury. Additionally, Elise Mertens also exited the tournament due to injury, which could lead to a more favorable draw for Osaka going forward.
