Tennis is never without a little pain, right? Players compete at the highest level through aching muscles, chasing glory each time. Roland Garros has a long history of that. Remember Rafael Nadal playing through excruciating ankle pain during the 2022 French Open? He admitted to taking painkillers before every match and even underwent radiofrequency ablation on his nerves after winning his 14th title! Now, two WTA stars, Naomi Osaka and Emma Raducanu, are giving their best to taste glory. But did they face any trouble along the way?

Currently, Naomi is facing Paula Badosa in the first round at Court Philippe-Chatrier. She took the first set but needed a medical timeout in the second. Reports on X mentioned an “issue with her finger, cut or blister.” The MTO Mafia on X showed Osaka dressed in pink, sacrificing her look, commenting, “Medical Time Out for Naomi Osaka. She’s cutting one of her nails.. fashion first I guess.”

On the other hand, Raducanu completed her match against China’s Xinyu Wang earlier today. While she successfully made it to the second round, the Briton complained of back pain and worried how her injury would affect her play. But defying all odds, she made it work. She took a short MTO after winning the first set as soon as it hit 6-5.

According to The Guardian, Raducanu was seen using ice around her face while having her blood pressure and heart rate checked. Later, she opened up in the on-court interview: “I don’t feel great, I would have felt worse if I had lost. I was struggling from the start. When you’re not feeling energetic, I knew I had to start well to give myself the best chance to keep fighting.” Quite a fighter, right?

Back to Osaka—her kit seemed to take the toll of her power! Since partnering with Nike in 2019, she has consistently delivered custom, expressive outfits. Take her 2019 US Open Sacai collaboration: an asymmetrical, ruffled orange-and-black pleated dress that boldly broke tradition. At the 2021 US Open, she sported a vibrant neon yellow-green kit matching tennis balls. And in 2024 at the Australian Open, she brought sunflower motifs. But what was her look this year?

She unveiled a detailed “Sakura themed” pink outfit for the French Open. The pink dress and pink Nike shoes paired perfectly with her hair in space buns, tied together with pink sakura-styled accessories.

In the pre-tournament press conference, she explained, via the Tennis Letter: “The shoes are Sakura themed. Which is just in time for spring, which is Sakura season. It follows the flower story that we have throughout the year. I’m really excited about the kit because I designed it. I don’t know why Nike is letting me do this stuff 😂. I say this every Slam. But I think it’s really adorable. I’m just excited. I don’t know if you can see from all the way over here but I did my nails. They’re Sakura themed too. I’m really sticking to the flower story that we have.”

However, it seems like the nails only lasted until the first set of the match. Right now, Naomi is looking to take the win against the Spaniard. Although they were both entered in the Italian Open draw, Badosa withdrew before their scheduled match in Rome, so this Roland Garros first-round meeting is truly their inaugural head-to-head. Not to mention, Osaka has already won a title on clay this season at the L’Open 35 de Saint-Malo. But will she win this title against Badosa? Well, she was optimistic before the match!

Naomi Osaka reveals her thoughts on taking on Badosa

When the French Open draw came out on Thursday, May 22, the Osaka vs. Badosa matchup quickly grabbed everyone’s attention. Both are seasoned pros with plenty of experience. They were even supposed to meet in Italy, but Badosa pulled out of the WTA 1000 event. At Roland Garros, Osaka said, “I was supposed to play her in Rome but she was injured, so I didn’t get to play her, but I was really looking forward to it because I know she’s a good player.”

Here’s the kicker: despite being on tour for years, these two have never faced each other. Osaka called it “kind of crazy” that their head-to-head record doesn’t exist. So, their first-ever clash is unfolding right on the Paris clay—making this one even more exciting.

On the other side, Emma Raducanu took on No. 43 Wang Xinyu, a rising talent who’s made it to the French Open third round in both 2023 and 2024. Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champ, hasn’t reached that stage yet but has plenty of experience. With this win, she now faces defending champ Iga Swiatek in round two—a big test ahead.

As for Osaka, it’s still up in the air if she can beat Badosa and advance. The match promises plenty of drama. So, what’s your take? Will Naomi push through and go far? Share your thoughts below!