Japanese superstar Naomi Osaka is all set to take on Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti in the first round (R128) of the 2024 China Open. With several big names missing from this tournament, this is a real opportunity for Osaka to make a statement of intent. She recently parted ways with her long-time coach Wim Fissette and brought in Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou to her team. Will this new partnership make a winning start in China?

Naomi Osaka vs Lucia Bronzetti: Preview

On paper, Naomi Osaka’s best results this year have come at the Qatar Open and ‘s-Hertogenbosch, NL. She reached the quarterfinals in both of these tournaments. However, if we talk about her best performance, it would surely be her gritty fight against world number one Iga Świątek in the second round of the French Open. Naomi Osaka is entering this tournament after her second-round loss at the US Open at the hands of the Czech Republic’s Karolína Muchová. She was defeated 3-6, 6(5)-7 in that match, and now it’ll be interesting to see if she can get back on track in China.

Lucia Bronzetti has also made a few decent runs this year. She won the WTA 125K Contrexéville, FR tournament in July. She has also reached the quarterfinals of the Morocco Open and the semifinals of the Jasmin Open. Bronzetti was defeated by Slovakia’s Rebecca Šrámková in the semifinals of the Jasmin Open 3-6, 4-6. Can she upset Naomi Osaka at the China Open?

Osaka vs Bronzetti: Head-to-Head

These two players have faced each other only once in their careers so far, with Naomi Osaka winning their first and only encounter. Currently, the Japanese star leads the head-to-head with a narrow 1-0 margin over the Italian.

• 2024 French Open R128: Osaka 6-1,4-6,7-5.

Prediction: Osaka to win in straight sets

Lucia Bronzetti loves playing on clay courts, but she still failed to beat Naomi Osaka at the French Open. Can she beat the 4-time Grand Slam champion on hard courts? Likely not—Osaka has always played her best tennis on these surfaces. Beating her on hard courts is close to a mammoth task! Naomi Osaka is currently ranked 73rd in the world and has a win-loss record of 18-16. On the other hand, Lucia Bronzetti (ranked 77) has a win-loss record of just 14-22.

Osaka won this tournament in 2019, while Bronzetti was defeated in the second qualifying match last year. If we look at their playing styles, Naomi Osaka is more of an aggressive baseliner. Her excellent raw power, especially on her forehand and serve, is what makes her a special player on the women’s tour. She has hit 214 aces and committed just 91 double faults so far this season. However, her key to success is her incredible ability to win long rallies.

On the other hand, Lucia Bronzetti has struggled against big hitters in the past. We have seen her facing difficulties against powerful groundstrokes. Her playing style is more of a combination of aggressive baseline play with intelligent point construction. Her strong backhand may pose some challenges for Osaka in this match, but is it enough to disrupt the odds for the Japanese star? Perhaps not!