Osaka Rallies vs Starodubtseva; Kenin Wins 2-Set Battle Over Kvitova.

March 18th, 2025

Four-time Major champion Naomi Osaka rallied from a set down against Yuliia Starodubtseva to advance to the second round during Tuesday’s first day of main draw play for the WTA. Osaka came down 3-6 came back to win 6-4 6-3. Of the 16 opening round matches, 11 went to three sets.

Naomi Osaka at Miami Open

In other action, Sofia Kenin dug deep and delivered a gritty, well-earned victory over former Miami Open champion Petra Kvitova, taking the first-round showdown 6-4, 7-5 in what many dubbed the match of the day. It was a battle of champions—Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open winner, facing off against Kvitova, fresh off a hiatus due to maternity leave and stepping onto the court with a wildcard and a world ranking of No. 1126. Despite the numbers, there was nothing easy about it. Both players had their share of shaky service games, tension lingering with every rally, but it was Kenin who rose to the moment when it mattered most.

Sofia Kenin at Miami Open

Kvitova came out swinging, breaking early and looking sharp despite limited match play in 2024. But Kenin, known for her fire and fight, rattled off three games in a row to flip the script. From there, it was a tug-of-war, each woman trading breaks and momentum, until Kenin broke serve at 5-4 to steal the set. Kvitova’s serve was both a weapon and a liability—six aces countered by six double faults—while Kenin’s first serve proved rock-solid, winning her 93% of those points.

The second set was a showcase in composure. Both players held firm until 4-4, neither blinking. At 5-4, Kenin had a match point, but the two-time Grand Slam champ Kvitova fought back with grit, holding to level it at 5-all. The next time Kvitova stepped up to serve, though, the pressure cracked her. A few costly errors gave Kenin the opening she needed, and the American didn’t miss. With a final, clinical break, Kenin sealed the win and now sets her sights on a blockbuster second-round clash with World No. 3 Coco Gauff. One fierce challenge down—an even bigger one ahead.

RESULTS – Tuesday, March 18
WTA Singles – First Round
V. Tomova (BUL) d. C. McNally (USA) 63 26 63
[Q] E. Ruse (ROU) d. P. Kudermetova 61 67(5) 62
[Q] R. Masarova (SUI) d. [Q] G. Minnen (BEL) 67(4) 64 75
S. Cirstea (ROU) d. E. Cocciaretto (ITA) 63 76(5)
L. Davis (USA) d. [Q] A. Ito (JPN) 64 36 64
[Q] T. Townsend (USA) d. A. Li (USA) 36 64 62
A. Parks (USA) d. V. Gracheva (FRA) 36 76(0) 63
A. Krueger (USA) d. R. Zarazua (MEX) 63 62
S. Kenin (USA) d. [WC] P. Kvitova (CZE) 64 75
L. Bronzetti (ITA) d. J. Bouzas Maneiro (ESP) 64 63
M. Linette (POL) d. A. Pavlyuchenkova 76(3) 62
[Q] L. Fruhvirtova (CZE) d. [Q] C. Liu (USA) 75 46 63
[WC] H. Baptiste (USA) d. O. Danilovic (SRB) 63 67(5) 61
N. Osaka (JPN) d. [Q] Y. Starodubtseva (UKR) 36 64 63
K. Siniakova (CZE) d. Y. Yuan (CHN) 62 26 76(4)
R. Sramkova (SVK) d. [Q] L. Stefanini (ITA) 36 61 63

ATP Qualifying – Final Round
[15] M. McDonald (USA) d [12] P. Kotov 62 62
E. Quinn (USA) d [1] C. Ugo Carabelli (ARG) 76(2) 36 62
[17] B. Holt (USA) d [6] G. Diallo (CAN) 64 26 75
[5] J. Fearnley (GBR) d [20] T. Boyer (USA) 62 64
[11] C. Tseng (TPE) d [WC] D. Blanch (USA) 64 16 76(4)
[2] F. Comesana (ARG) d S. Mochizuki (JPN) 76(4) 75
A. Blockx (BEL) d T. Atmane (FRA) 64 64
[4] C. O’Connell (AUS) d M. Trungelliti (ARG) 62 63
[13] B. Harris (GBR) d [7] H. Gaston (FRA) 75 62
T. Tirante (ARG) d [10] A. Shevchenko (KAZ) 63 63
[WC] R. Sakamoto (JPN) d [9] J. Duckworth (AUS) 75 76(5)
[24] T. Schoolkate (AUS) d [8] A. Walton (AUS) 63 64

WTA Singles Draw
ATP Singles Draw
ATP Doubles Draw
WTA Doubles Draw
WTA Qualifying Draw
ATP Qualifying Draw  
Miami Open Scores