Naomi Osaka Loses to Lucia Bronzetti in Madrid Open First Round

Naomi Osaka suffers a shocking first-round exit at the Madrid Open, losing to Lucia Bronzetti in a thrilling three-set match.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka suffered a shocking first-round exit at the Madrid Open, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 to Lucia Bronzetti. Despite a strong comeback in the second set, Osaka ultimately came up short against the determined Italian player.

Bronzetti reflected on her win, saying, “From the outside maybe it seems easy but when you're on the court against a great champion like her it's always difficult - I'm proud with how I managed the match.” She added, “She hit the ball very strong... I tried to make some variation in my game like drop shot, I got a lot of points with that.”

SUPER BRONZETTI ELIMINA OSAKA 🇮🇹🔝

Inizia alla grande il torneo di Madrid per l'azzurra che elimina l'ex N.1 al mondo in 3 set e accede al secondo turno 💪

2 ore e 22 minuti servono a Lucia per chiudere il match sul punteggio di 6-4; 2-6; 6-4. Nel prossimo match affronterà Keys… pic.twitter.com/8tTwLMEJ58

— We Are Tennis Italia (@WeAreTennisITA) April 22, 2025

Naomi Osaka, still finding her rhythm after a 15-month break from tennis, was edged out by Lucia Bronzetti in the first round of the Madrid Open. Osaka had a promising moment in the fourth game of the first set, securing two break points, but failed to capitalize. Bronzetti seized her chance, breaking in the seventh game and holding serve to take the set.

Osaka mounted a strong comeback in the second set, securing three breaks of serve and conceding one to force a decider. However, she couldn't sustain the momentum, immediately conceding a break in the third set. Despite wrestling back on serve at 3-3, Osaka was broken again and ultimately slipped while trying to reach a cross-court shot, handing Bronzetti the win.

Bronzetti is set to face American world number five Madison Keys in the second round. Reflecting on the upcoming match, Bronzetti said, “I played against her two times, it's going to be a real tough match like today.” She had earlier praised her own performance against Osaka, saying, “From the outside maybe it seems easy but when you're on the court against a great champion like her it's always difficult - I'm proud with how I managed the match. She hit the ball very strong... I tried to make some variation in my game like drop shot, I got a lot of points with that.”

Lucia Bronzetti claims a tight first set against Naomi Osaka in Madrid 🇪🇸👇 pic.twitter.com/oQaHPdpCaF

— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) April 22, 2025