Osaka defeats Paolini to reach second round of Tokyo WTA 500

Naomi Osaka beat Italy's Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 7-6(4) to reach the second round of the WTA 500 Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. Osaka entered the tournament as the No 7 seed, avenging a loss to Paolini at the Miami Open last year. She fired seven aces while Paolini managed only one, and the contest lasted one hour and 37 minutes. The 29‑year‑old is posting strong results since returning to the tour after giving birth to her daughter Shai three years ago. Earlier this week Osaka said she would quit the sport if Shai ever asked her to. Elena Rybakina, the top‑ranked player and No 1 seed, received a first‑round bye. Injuries forced No 2 seed Maja Chwalińska and No 4 seed Belinda Bencic to withdraw before play began. Osaka returned to the Toray Pan Pacific Open for the first time in four years and saved three set points in the second‑set tiebreak. She appeared on court wearing a blue‑and‑white cape adorned with crane symbols, created by Tokyo designer Hana Yagi. "It was very much inspired by Japan," Osaka said. "I was really glad that [Hana Yagi] wanted to work with me again. For me, I haven't been here for a little bit of a while, so it's just nice to bring a bit of a show here." Osaka opened the match with a 3-0 lead, saw Paolini level to 3-3, then reclaimed control with down‑the‑line winners. After an early break in the second set, Paolini broke back and later held three match points at 6-5 before Osaka saved the last one and won the tiebreak 7-5. Osaka’s next opponent will be 18‑year‑old Mia Pohankova, the 2025 Wimbledon junior champion. ## Context Osaka’s victory continues her resurgence after maternity leave and highlights the growing trend of players returning to top form after becoming mothers.