SAINT-MALO, France — Naomi Osaka is a champion again — and for the first time, on clay.
The former world No. 1 captured her first WTA title in over four years on Sunday, defeating Slovenia’s Kaja Juvan 6-1, 7-5 in the final of L’Open 35 de Saint-Malo, a WTA 125 event. The victory marked Osaka’s first tournament win since the 2021 Australian Open, and also her first-ever title on clay, a surface long considered her weakest.
The four-time Grand Slam winner, who returned to professional tennis in early 2024 after giving birth to her first child in July 2023, expressed gratitude and surprise following the milestone win.
“Kinda ironic to win my first trophy back on the surface that I thought was my worst,” Osaka wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “That’s one of my favorite things about life though — there’s always room to grow and evolve.”
Sunday’s triumph is a significant step in Osaka’s comeback journey, as the 26-year-old Japanese star looks to rebuild her career after stepping away from the tour to focus on her mental health and motherhood. Her previous title came in Melbourne in 2021, capping a dominant stretch that included four major titles — two at the Australian Open and two at the U.S. Open, all on hard courts.
With this victory, Osaka will rise to No. 48 in the WTA rankings on Monday, continuing her climb back toward the top of the sport.
Osaka’s relationship with clay has historically been fraught. She has struggled at the French Open, and notably withdrew from the tournament in 2021 prior to the second round, citing mental health concerns in a move that sparked a global conversation around athlete well-being.
Her 2024 clay-court season began inauspiciously with a first-round loss at the Madrid Open last month. But the Saint-Malo title — while not a top-tier WTA event — serves as both a confidence boost and a strong indication that she is adapting her game to a surface that once seemed insurmountable.
The timing of Osaka’s resurgence could be pivotal, with the French Open set to begin on May 25 at Roland Garros in Paris. Though she has never made it past the third round in Paris, her victory in Saint-Malo suggests she may be better equipped to compete on clay this time around.
Osaka did not speak to the media following Sunday’s final but shared a heartfelt message online, thanking supporters for sticking with her through what she described as a “turbulent” but “really fun” journey.
“I’m grateful,” she wrote. “Thanks to everyone accompanying me on this journey.”
