Naomi Osaka lost to Lucia Bronzetti in the opening round of the WTA Madrid Open on Tuesday, marking the beginning of her clay-court season.
Madrid Open in the opening round on Tuesday, losing to Lucia Bronzetti 4-6, 6-2, 4-6.
After dropping the first set, the 55th-ranked Japanese former World No. 1 fought back with a great second set but ultimately lost to her tenacious Italian opponent.
Osaka, who last competed at the Miami Open in March and is still getting back into her swing after a 15-month hiatus, earned two break points in the fourth game of the opening set that she rejected.
After breaking and serving it out in the seventh, Bronzetti got a forceful reply from Osaka. To force a decider, the 27-year-old won three breaks of serve and gave up one.
Osaka gave up a break right on, and even though she managed to get back on serve at 3-3 with her fifth break point of the match, she was broken again right after.
When Osaka slipped while attempting to reach a cross-court shot, Bronzetti won.
In the second round, fifth-seeded American Madison Keys will face Italy’s Bronzetti. She plans to compete in a WTA 1000 event for the third time.
