In a first-round rematch from a year ago, former top-ranked player Naomi Osaka takes on Caroline Garcia at Rod Laver Arena in the opening contest for both women at the 2025 Australian Open.
The former two-time winner of this event, Osaka, was forced to retire from the ASB Classic final versus Clara Tauson earlier this month, while Garcia has not played a singles event since falling at the semi-final stage of the Guadalajara Open to Magdalena Frech in September.
Match preview
© Imago
Ranked as high as fourth in the world on the singles side at one point, Garcia had a difficult solo year in 2024 on the Grand Slam circuit, never making it past the second round in any of the four major tournaments.
The French woman from Lyon, who made the semi-finals of the Aussie Open on the doubles side in 2017, has only been eliminated from the opening round of this tournament in the singles event once in her previous eight appearances, falling to Hailey Baptiste in three sets three years ago (2022).
On four occasions last year, Garcia lost her opening singles match on the hard court, with the previous time being at the most recent US Open, where Mexico's Renata Zarazua beat her 1-6, 4-6.
That said, the two-time French Open doubles winner made the semi-finals of her previous hard court singles event in September in Mexico, while her best-ever finish at a Grand Slam singles tournament came on that same surface in Flushing Meadows (2022).
Last year, the offensive baseliner displayed plenty of power when on serve, winning 75.2% of her service games and possessing a first-serve winning percentage of 70.7%.
She struggled when off serve, though, only claiming 30.7% of her first return points while converting fewer than 40% of her break points (39.7%).
© Imago
As we were closing in on the end of 2024, Naomi Osaka seemed to grow in confidence, with a pair of solid finishes on the hard court.
She followed up a round of 16 defeat versus Coco Gauff at the China Open with a loss to Tauson in her previous singles event and was forced to retire in both instances.
Osaka, who won this tournament in 2021 and 2019, lost four opening singles matches on the hard court last year, including at this stage of the previous Aussie Open.
She did, however, make it beyond round one in her three Grand Slam singles events following that early exit against Garcia at this tournament last year but has not made it past the second stage of her last six majors on the singles bracket.
The aggressive baseline player has been potent with her serve this year, winning 89.8% of her service games to this stage of 2025.
Meanwhile, she has converted nearly half of her break point opportunities (48.6%) while winning over 40% (43.9%) of her return points this year.
Head To Head
Australian Open (2021) - Second Round: Osaka wins 6-2 6-3
Australian Open (2024) - First Round: Garcia wins 6-4 7-6(2)
Qatar Total Energies Open (2024) - First Round: Osaka wins 7-5 6-4
Miami Open (2024) - Third Round: Garcia wins 7-6(4) 7-5
The first meeting between these two at the 2021 Aussie Open saw Osaka dominate in first serves, winning 86% of hers, and Garcia claiming a mere 57% in that department.
Three years later, Garcia claimed victory in Melbourne by winning 89% of her first serves, while her opponent did not win a single break point.
In Qatar earlier this year, the Japanese international was three for three on break points, propelling her to another victory.
Lastly, in Miami back in March, the French woman overcame four double faults, winning 75% of her first serves to advance from that contest.
We say: Osaka to win in two sets
The former #1 player seemed to regain confidence near the end of the year, and her powerful serve could be a handful for Garcia, who may be rusty after a lengthy time away from a singles event.
Joel Lefevre
