Paula Badosa sends encouraging message to Naomi Osaka after crushing Japanese’s hopes in ‘unfair’ French Open clash
Paula Badosa’s Encouraging Message to Naomi Osaka After French Open 2025 Victory
Following her thrilling first-round victory over Naomi Osaka at the French Open on May 26, 2025, Paula Badosa delivered an encouraging message to her opponent, acknowledging the unfairness of their early matchup and praising Osaka’s potential for a swift return to the top. Badosa, the No. 10 seed, battled back from a set down to win 6-7(1), 6-1, 6-4 on Court Philippe-1, ending Osaka’s hopes in a match that captivated fans. In her post-match press conference, Badosa expressed admiration, stating, “I have to be honest, it’s not fair to have a first round like this… For her, in this case, that she lost… she’s playing very good tennis. Very, very soon, she’s going to be where she wants to be.”
## The Match and Badosa’s Respect
The blockbuster clash, the first between the two, saw Osaka dominate the first-set tiebreak with aggressive play, firing 17 winners and four aces. However, Badosa, despite limited clay preparation due to a chronic back injury, found her rhythm, winning the second set 6-1 and rallying in the third to secure the victory in 2 hours and 21 minutes. Badosa highlighted her respect for Osaka, saying, “She’s a great, great, player—I respect her so much… I know she likes to play the big matches. It’s where she plays her best game.” She also noted the challenge of facing Osaka early, telling reporters, “When I saw the draw… I was really looking forward to playing Naomi… Honestly it’s not fair to play her first round 😂.”[]
Osaka, ranked No. 49, was visibly devastated, tearing up during her press conference and briefly leaving after saying, “I hate disappointing people… Patrick [Mouratoglou] goes from working with the greatest player ever to, like, ‘What the f is this?’” Her 54 unforced errors, compared to Badosa’s 27, and struggles with blisters—prompting a medical timeout to clip her cherry blossom-themed nails—underscored her challenges on clay. Despite the loss, her recent clay progress, including a WTA 125 title in Saint-Malo and a fourth-round Italian Open run, had raised hopes. Badosa’s words aimed to uplift Osaka, recognizing her 17-12 2025 record and clay-court strides.[](https://www.nine.com.au/sport/tennis/french-open-2025-naomi-osaka-cries-press-conference-paula-badosa-loss-20250527-p5m2fx.html)[](https://www.bets.com.au/tennis/french-open/paula-badosa-vs-naomi-osaka-tips-prediction-live-stream-20250526-0002/)
Badosa, who drew strength from Rafael Nadal’s plaque on Court Philippe-Chatrier, credited her comeback to her fighting spirit, saying, “When I was 7-6 down, I looked at Rafa’s plaque to get strength.” Her own journey, marked by a 2024 WTA Comeback Player of the Year award and a 2025 Australian Open semifinal, mirrors Osaka’s resilience. The match’s emotional weight, with Badosa celebrating alongside boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas’s simultaneous win, tied into the French Open’s themes of perseverance, seen in Emma Raducanu’s grit, Jannik Sinner’s milestone, and Alex de Minaur’s clay paradox. Off-field parallels, like Luke Littler’s darts controversy and Jack Grealish’s transfer saga, highlight the pressure on young stars like Osaka.[]
Badosa’s encouragement to Naomi Osaka reflected sportsmanship and empathy, acknowledging the cruelty of their first-round draw while affirming Osaka’s imminent return to elite form. As Badosa advances to face Elena-Gabriela Ruse, her words offer solace to Osaka, whose emotional exit underscores her ongoing clay journey. This moment of camaraderie captivates tennis fans, echoing the 2025 French Open’s narrative of resilience and mutual respect.
