The much-anticipated clash between Naomi Osaka and Paula Badosa is finally on the horizon. Fresh off her maiden clay court title in Saint-Malo, Osaka is riding a wave of confidence as she returns to the French Open after a well-earned break. After reaching the Round of 16 at the Italian Open, she looked sharp and ready to roll.

But in Rome, their scheduled Round of 64 showdown was derailed when Badosa had to withdraw due to a flare-up of her persistent back injury, knocking her out of the tournament. Now, two weeks later, setting the stage for their eagerly awaited rematch on a Grand Slam stage. Who will come out on top?

Naomi Osaka vs. Paula Badosa: Preview

It’s safe to say that Naomi Osaka’s 2025 season has been a rollercoaster. She kicked off strong at the ASB Classic, reaching the final, but an abdominal injury forced her to retire against Clara Tauson. The same injury haunted her at the Australian Open, where she had to withdraw in the third round against Belinda Bencic. After that, she took a long recovery break to heal and regroup.

When Osaka returned at Indian Wells, things didn’t click—she lost early to Camila Osorio. Miami saw her exit in the Round of 16 to Jasmine Paolini, and Madrid brought another first-round loss to Lucia Bronzetti. But then, a spark! Osaka won her first-ever clay court title at the WTA 125 Saint-Malo, beating Kaja Juvan 6-1, 7-5. It was her first WTA title in four years, since the 2021 Australian Open. At the Italian Open, she’s been on fire, cruising past Sara Errani, Viktorija Golubic, and Marie Bouzkova to reach the Round of 16, where she battled Peyton Stearns in a thrilling three-set tiebreaker. After some well-deserved rest, she’s now headed to Paris, ready to roll.

On the other side of the court, Paula Badosa started 2025 with a bang, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open before falling to her best friend and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. But the next few tournaments were rough—early exits in Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Dubai. Like Osaka, Badosa has struggled with a nagging lower back injury. She had to withdraw from the Merida Open quarterfinals and pulled out before her Miami Round of 16 match.

While Badosa missed Madrid and Rome, she bounced back at Strasbourg. Luck was on her side as she advanced past Marie Bouzkova after the Czech player was forced to retire due to injury. Now, she’s gearing up to face Liudmila Samsonova in the Strasbourg quarters on May 22—a key test of her clay form heading into the French Open.

Osaka v Badosa: Head-to-Head

The two players have never faced each other in a WTA event, so their head-to-head stands at a clean 0-0. Their first-ever professional showdown is set to happen in the opening round of the 2025 French Open, kicking off on May 25.

Prediction: Naomi Osaka to win in three sets

Naomi holds the edge over Paula this season with a solid 75% win rate, having taken 17 of her 23 matches, while Badosa trails at 12-7. Both have reached the sport’s summit—Osaka hitting No. 1 and Badosa peaking at No. 2. However, at 27, the Spaniard just clawed her way back into the Top 10 last year after battling injury and confidence dips.

However, the four-time Grand Slam champ has never quite clicked on Roland Garros’ clay, her least favorite surface. Her best runs there have been third-round exits in 2016, 2018, and 2019. The 2021 French Open was tough—she withdrew after the first round due to mental health struggles. But her 2024 comeback after maternity leave showed promise, pushing world No. 1 Iga Swiatek to three sets in the second round before falling—an encouraging sign for her clay game.

Paula Badosa, on the other hand, feels more at home on clay. Her best Slam result came at the French Open, reaching the quarterfinals in 2021. In 2020, she broke through to the fourth round, beating former Slam champs Sloane Stephens and Jelena Ostapenko. Despite battling a recurring back injury that sidelined her for the 2023 French Open, Badosa’s past performances show she’s more comfortable on clay than Osaka. In 2024, she made it to the third round before a tough loss to Aryna Sabalenka.

Style-wise, Osaka is known for her aggressive game—powerful serve, booming forehand, and a strong two-handed backhand, all backed by impressive athleticism. Badosa, an aggressive baseliner, mixes heavy groundstrokes with kick and slice serves and throws in some sharp drop shots. While both shine on hard courts, Badosa’s spin-heavy style suits clay better, making their clash a thrilling tactical battle.

Given her 2025 form, Naomi Osaka looks like the favorite. She’s riding high after winning a WTA title recently and seems primed for a deep run at the French Open.