Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka made a winning return to the tour with a hard-fought victory over Leylah Fernandez in a rematch of their memorable 2021 US Open encounter, where Fernandez had triumphed on her way to her first major final.
Despite the quality on display, the match unfolded in front of a noticeably modest crowd. The atmosphere in Wuhan was far quieter than the packed stands seen in Beijing just a week earlier – a surprising contrast given the level of play both players delivered.
Osaka Turns The Tables
This time, Naomi Osaka turned the tables—more than four years later—rallying from a set down to win 4–6, 7–5, 6–3 after more than two and a half hours on court. Getting this one across the line, however, proved to be a real test of endurance and mental grit.
On paper, it may look like another expected defeat for Leylah Fernandez, but the reality was far closer. The Canadian had her chances and came within touching distance of victory before Osaka’s experience and composure ultimately made the difference.
Excellent Play From Fernandez
Leylah Fernandez took the opening set by converting her second break point of the set, displaying flashes of brilliance throughout. Naomi Osaka threw everything she had at her in the extended rallies, but Fernandez more than held her own. The Canadian’s serving performance told the story: two games won to love and four more with her opponent reaching only 15. In that first set, she was virtually untouchable on serve.
Osaka vs Fernandez – Set 1 Stats (0h 42m)
| Statistic | Osaka | Fernandez |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.35 | 2.85 |
| Serve Rating | 263 | 349 |
| Aces | 4 | 2 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 0 |
| 1st Serve % | 57% (20/35) | 83% (19/23) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 70% (14/20) | 84% (16/19) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 53% (8/15) | 80% (4/5) |
| Break Points Saved | 50% (1/2) | – |
| Service Games Won | 80% (4/5) | 100% (5/5) |
| Ace % | 11.4% | 8.7% |
| Double Fault % | 2.9% | 0% |
| Return Rating | 36 | 147 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 16% (3/19) | 30% (6/20) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 20% (1/5) | 47% (7/15) |
| Break Points Won | – | 50% (1/2) |
| Return Games Won | 0% (0/5) | 20% (1/5) |
| Pressure Points Won | 50% (1/2) | 50% (1/2) |
| Service Points Won | 63% (22/35) | 87% (20/23) |
| Return Points Won | 13% (3/23) | 37% (13/35) |
| Total Points Won | 43% (25/58) | 57% (33/58) |
| Max Points In A Row | 4 | 4 |
| Total Games Won | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Max Games In A Row | 1 | 3 |
| Set 1 Duration | 0h 42m | |
Osaka Turns the Tide in a Tense Second Set
Naomi Osaka fought back hard in the second set and was forced to dig deep as early as the third game. Leading 2–0, she faced a confident and still relentless Fernandez, who continued to press with energy and precision. Osaka eventually extended her lead to 3–0 but then dropped the next two games as Fernandez refused to back down.
At 3–2, Osaka found a way through Fernandez’s once-impenetrable serve, breaking again for 4–2—only to lose her own serve immediately after. The turning point came at 5–5, when Fernandez earned a crucial breakpoint but failed to convert. That missed opportunity seemed to linger, and the Canadian lost her rhythm completely, dropping her final service game to love and handing Osaka the set 7–5.
Up to that point, the match had been played at an exceptional level—two players trading punches in one of the best sets of the tournament so far.
Osaka vs Fernandez – Set 2 Stats (0h 58m)
| Statistic | Osaka | Fernandez |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.20 | 0.84 |
| Serve Rating | 230 | 190 |
| Aces | 2 | 1 |
| Double Faults | 6 | 2 |
| 1st Serve % | 58% (26/45) | 47% (15/32) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 62% (16/26) | 47% (7/15) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 47% (9/19) | 47% (8/17) |
| Break Points Saved | 67% (4/6) | 57% (4/7) |
| Service Games Won | 67% (4/6) | 50% (3/6) |
| Ace % | 4.4% | 3.1% |
| Double Fault % | 13.3% | 6.3% |
| Return Rating | 199 | 157 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 53% (8/15) | 38% (10/26) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 53% (9/17) | 53% (10/19) |
| Break Points Won | 43% (3/7) | 33% (2/6) |
| Return Games Won | 50% (3/6) | 33% (2/6) |
| Pressure Points Won | 54% (7/13) | 46% (6/13) |
| Service Points Won | 56% (25/45) | 47% (15/32) |
| Return Points Won | 53% (17/32) | 44% (20/45) |
| Total Points Won | 55% (42/77) | 45% (35/77) |
| Max Points In A Row | 7 | 5 |
| Max Games In A Row | 3 | 2 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Set 2 Duration | 0h 58m | |
Osaka decides early to take control
Mirroring the momentum from the second set, Naomi Osaka raced to a 3–0 lead in the decider. This time, Leylah Fernandez seemed to be struggling to shake off the frustration of how close she had come to winning earlier. Fatigue may also have played a role, as Osaka found her rhythm and began firing on all cylinders.
The Canadian fought to stay in contention but could no longer match Osaka’s pace or consistency. With controlled aggression and precise serving, Osaka closed out the match 6–3, dominating the final set and sealing a hard-earned comeback victory.
/Osaka vs Fernandez – Set 3 Stats (0h 51m)
| Statistic | Osaka | Fernandez |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.43 | 0.70 |
| Serve Rating | 297 | 249 |
| Aces | 4 | 1 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 63% (22/35) | 62% (18/29) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 77% (17/22) | 67% (12/18) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 54% (7/13) | 45% (5/11) |
| Break Points Saved | – (0/0) | 50% (1/2) |
| Service Games Won | 100% (5/5) | 75% (3/4) |
| Ace % | 11.4% | 3.4% |
| Double Fault % | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Return Rating | 163 | 69 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 33% (6/18) | 23% (5/22) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 55% (6/11) | 46% (6/13) |
| Break Points Won | 50% (1/2) | – (0/0) |
| Return Games Won | 25% (1/4) | 0% (0/5) |
| Pressure Points Won | 50% (1/2) | 50% (1/2) |
| Service Points Won | 69% (24/35) | 55% (16/29) |
| Return Points Won | 45% (13/29) | 31% (11/35) |
| Total Points Won | 58% (37/64) | 42% (27/64) |
| Max Points In A Row | 5 | 4 |
| Total Games Won | 6/9 | 3/9 |
| Max Games In A Row | 3 | 1 |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 1 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Set 3 Duration | 0h 51m | |
What’s next for Osaka
With the victory, Naomi Osaka advanced to the second round, where she will face Linda Noskova—the Czech China Open finalist who began her Wuhan campaign with a solid win over Yulia Putintseva.
Based on today’s performance, the signs point to Osaka continuing her run. It may be an early call, but she looks sharp enough to beat Noskova and keep building momentum in Wuhan.
Related WTA Articles You Might Enjoy
Leylah Fernandez Reignites Her Spark with Washington 2025 Title Run (Opens in a new browser tab)
Coco Gauff Survives Thriller Against Leylah Fernandez in Beijing (Opens in a new browser tab)