Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3 6-4 after 1 hour and 18 minutes to reach the second round at the Miami Open.
Osaka has never lost her opening match in her seven appearances at the Miami Open. The Japanese player beat Angelique Kerber, Danielle Collins and Belinda Bencic before finishing runner-up to Iga Swiatek in her most recent appearance at the 2022 Miami Open.
Osaka gave birth to her daughter Shai last July. She opened the season with 1 one and three defeats but she won four of her last six matches. She has achieved her best result of this season at the Qatar Open, where she reached the quarter finals.
Osaka has improved her record to 5-0 in the head-to-head matches against her Italian opponents. She beat Sara Errani 6-3 6-1 in the first round of the Indian Wells earlier this month.
Osaka won 85% of her first-serve points and never faced a break point. The former world number 1 earned an early break to open up a 4-1 lead. Cocciaretto saved four break points to hold serve for 2-4 in the sixth game. Osaka won her next service games to close out the first set 6-3.
Osaka hit a backhand return winner down the line to earn her only break of the second set in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Osaka sealed the win with an ace on her second match point.
Cocciaretto won the WTA 125 in Charleton last week.
Osaka set up a second round match against Elina Svitolina, who is back into the top 20 after coming back from maternity leave.
“I would say I have played my best match since I came back from maternity leave in terms of shotmaking. I felt like the balls I wanted to hit were there. I am pretty happy with this one. I remember watching Svitolina while I was pregnant. I remember thinking that I want to be there too one day. She has always just been a really good player, so it’s not surprising to me she is back in the top 20. It’s more like that’s where she belongs ”, said Osaka.