FULL MATCH Naomi Osaka 大坂 なおみ vs Golubic ROME 2025

FULL MATCH Naomi Osaka 大坂 なおみ vs Golubic ROME 2025

that she produced yesterday that she is really really starting to believe that maybe what she wasn’t able to do from her point of view frustratingly last year find that level she’s found it now. Yeah, she looked very fit and uh like played really good level and I think she’s on the right path especially on clay court as it’s not her favorite surface but it might change. She has every tool you know but of course it also not easy la last minute change you know for sure she had some tactics against Paulo Badosa and uh you know mentally you get ready and in the last moments you you get total change. Yes and intri intriguingly they had never actually met before Bossa and Naomi Saka and still we wait and wonder how a first meeting between those two will pan out. It won’t be happening today. Okay, Grandstand Arena. Naomi Asaka and Victoria Golovich to fight it out for a place in round three in Rome underneath absolutely gorgeous Aziri blue skies in the Italian capital. Was this one of your favorite events when you played on the tour coming here? Yeah, definitely. I mean, so many advantages in this city. Yes, there’s plenty to enjoy away from the tennis at this gorgeous Italico complex. play. Well, that was the shot yesterday, wasn’t it? That short angled cross hand uh crosscourt backhand which worked a treat for a queen. Should expect a lot of uncomfortable response from that back end from Golovic. She’s one-handed backhand, a lot of slice. If she has time, she can use it very well and she can Oh, nice. Just so sharp from Tenta Quindich 305. So much left hand in that, wasn’t there? 4050. But again, no messing around with the short ball from Osaka. Love that about her game. Playing simple but sharp. Oh, nice serve into the body. Really jamming up that single-handed backhand return. and off and running at a bit of a gallop there, Naomi Asaka. Plenty of first serves landing. And that’s a very good start for a player who talked about preparation for this year involving a lot of time spent training in Los Angeles actually at the UCLA facilities. also spent a bit of time in Tokyo and started the year so well with that run to the final in Oakland and but for an abdominal injury. She might have had a first title since 2021 then instead Sam Marlo on the clay an unexpected success for her. Well I think it’s only unexpected for her. I mean she what a player she is. Of course, you expect her to win, right? Even on not the surface that she would prefer. Let’s sip. Yeah, that kind of point. That’s what we’re going to see today a lot. I have to be a bit more patient. 15 laps on the back hand side. [Music] One thing I would say you would not want to play Golovich on grass either of course no saka but yeah Yeah, those slices and variety. That’s where she had that great run, quarterfinal run. Wimbledon 2024 go. Oh, delightful. What a feel those hands. So loose. Great touch. Look how low that ball keeps. You’ve just got no chance trying to chase that down. Even if you get there, what are you doing with it? took her time and dispatched that really impressively. 40 15 I think the sun is right there at your eyes. She had to adapt quite a bit. Well done. [Applause] Jobic. Yeah, nice start on serve for Victoria Golovich one game. Can see the sister of Golovic always, not always but a lot spending a lot of time with her on the tour traveling and support. So nice to have a family member with you. Feels like you’re a bit at home always. [Applause] Queen love 50. F is that? Yeah, that definitely is going to be challenged that back end of Nia Saka today. It’s a lot of different different pace and depend. Oh, that’s one way to get round it. 1530. Couple of aces already. Struggled to find a high first serve percentage yesterday, but when it did land, it did damage. Smart play from Golovic there going playing a bit higher with a lot of spin through the middle. 1540. Oh [Applause] and again playing the right way there. Victoria Golovic 304. Just have to take every possible chance. Masaka surf. Oh, that’s a bit wild. Well, I thought she might take that out of the air on the drive volley. probably wishing she had now because that’s the early break and it belongs to the 32-year-old Swiss [Music] Oh, heat. Again, just perfectly constructed point from Victoria Golovic trying to slow down the game. a lot of different pace and slices. Try to move Osaka from off balance. Oh, that is such a lovely volley and makes it look so easy. Well, it was a simple point construction, but it’s so effective. just spread the play open the court and then the finesse on that finish. Yeah, had enough of that. We like to see that [Applause] 305 see coaching box of Nia Osaka Nice. Great pick up there from Naomi Osaka. Again, not messing around with those short balls. I feel like that sprint up the court is going to be a regular thing for her today. I feel like I talk a lot about those short balls uh from Naomi Osaka, but I just find it so good that she does not messing around with it because so many players try to be, you know, touchy there at the net. Yeah, dealt with that beautifully. Quarant the simplicity is the key when you’re at the net in all things. Yeah. There’s mom been so supportive yesterday. Yes. On her feet, wasn’t she? At regular intervals. Beautiful point from Victoria Golovich really moving Osaka around making her slide coaching box Victoria Golovich long time coach and a sister. Yeah, really trying to attack the second serve. which has actually held up really well in the early stages for Golovic. Won six out of seven. She too struggling to find the first serve at the moment. [Applause] [Applause] Yeah, you could hear her complaining about spin that forehand from Golovic. Oh, Jo got a Yeah, first sign of frustration. Yeah, that’s like starting to get into her head. Well, this is such a different challenge to the one she would have been expecting today against Pao Bedosa. And I’m not entirely sure how much prior knowledge she would have got of the change of opponent today. Yes, definitely. And uh it’s always not easy last moment change and you know if it was a last moment withdrawal and there was no science about Badosa to withdraw and of course they were not prepared of course. Well if she could copy and paste that particular point construction she would take it all day long. Let’s talk about uh like a loser mentality. I think a lot of players would agree with me that when you’re like a loser, it’s slightly easier to play because you already lost at this event. So already worse happened to you and uh you know you get like this second chance but there is no pressure because you already lost. Nice. Well, you’re playing with the house’s money, aren’t you? Yeah. You like It’s interesting mental games. I think to be like a loser is a bit easier to perform even if you won through qualifying because as I said already, the worst happened to you. You already lost a match here. [Applause] 40 50. Oh, she’s definitely making the most of it so far today. [Music] Quad 14:30. Light. Oh, well, she closes the gap, does Naomi, but there’s a a break of serve that needs to be retrieved here. [Applause] Oh. Oh, went the wrong way. And guess who was waiting? 15. And it was perfectly constructed point from Golovic there. Just didn’t look enough on that last one. That’s a great hustle because instinctively the crosscourt is the easier putaway. Yeah. Yeah. So nice. Beautiful from Naomi Osaka. You could feel that that point might set the tone in this game for Naomi. Does it work like that as a player when you’ve won a point like that which you probably shouldn’t have done at the start of a game? Yeah. Then kind of it gives you that extra confidence and extra momentum. Queen 15. Oh, no messing around there. So effortless. [Applause] Very short backstroke. Well, she’s doing a really good job of making life awkward for a Saka today with different height, balls, paces, slice and spin. But there’s a chance here, another one to break back. He saw quite a few unforced errors from that forehand return. She’s using a lot of slice on that serve. Go a Another one. Well, that developed quickly and evaporated quickly from Naomi Osaka’s perspective. And the two came Gushin is back. Three unforced errors from those last three returns and you just had a feel that Naomi Osaka had that game. It felt like that. You could see Golovic just moving a bit just before Osaka serve. He’s changing the return position. Too good. Yeah, that was the ball yesterday where she was absolutely lethal against the Italian. 50 left. Sorry. Yeah. Didn’t have time, did she? because the return was so good 15 and that’s what it is the change of speed as well right you would expect just a slower highspeed return from Golovich and she went for a absolute bullet so uh you never get the same ball twice from a flurry but they really forced you would feel errors because of the way Golovic is playing Sha’s caught the line I think. First serve percentage is struggling again. 43% today. Yesterday I think she only managed 46% for the entirety of the match. She ended up winning 91% behind it. But trouble is you do expose that second serve. And she’s done it again here. You could see a lot of movement uh on the return position from Golovic. Yeah, I’m not surprised to see that she’s unraveled a bit since getting to break point. The errors have flowed thick and fast. Well, needs to find something here or this conversation in set one will be over. She’s struggling at the moment to find the balance between being aggressive But also in some moments just building the point a little more. Yes. And uh when you look at especially Golovich like you think uh why she’s not higher at the ranking when she has all the tools to destroy big [Music] players. But I think uh that it’s because of inconsistency. You know, when the players has too much feel into their hands and too much variety, they actually doubt a lot and they have too many options. And that’s why I think they’re not consistent as the player who have only one tactic and stick to it no matter what. out. Squanti 405. Whoa. Oh, that’s steadier. 143. Just brought in the margins a little bit on that winner. [Applause] Super set of tennis from Victoria Golovic. The lucky loser causing all sorts of problems right now for Naomi Saka. Asio Oaka. Oh, that was good from Osaka. She needs a good start to the set because 50 left. It’s been backs against the wall a little bit for the last three or four games and I think it’s a bit unexpected for her. She’s in a good form. She feeling well. Just such a smart play from Golovic. Well, she’s played the slice so much today and that ball just absolutely dies on this surface. Gives Asaka nothing to work with and requires so much footwork as well. Yeah, that’s an easy mistake. [Applause] Yeah, he will know that alarm bells are just starting to ring here a little bit. [Applause] Well, she’s found four out of four first serves so far. That right now is essential because it gives you room to maneuver like that. Overexpose the second serve in that opening set. Mom will have spotted that as well. Sorry. Oh, good start. Good reaction. got all her frustration out at the end of that opening set and started off nicely here. She was talking yesterday actually after that win over Sar Rani Olga about the importance of that performance against Fiontech at the French Open last year where she had a match point and went down 75 in the third. But it was a moral victory because she’d led that final set 5-2, hadn’t she? And she had 17 more winners than eager and she broke her serve more. Still lost. I mean you’ll know that feeling of crazy right? Yeah, I know. But it was a performance that gave her a lot, especially after the break that she had, right? 15 months break. I think last year for Saka was all about finding her game again, finding her level and play as many matches as possible. Wait, please. Yeah, she had some amazingly close matches yesterday. Uh yesterday last year. Um some almost but not quite moments. Fionek being one of them. Carolene Garcia in Miami was another fantastic match. And Bianca Andrescu actually on the grass in Sogenbos. pulverize that. That’s the way to treat that surf. Bit more committed so far in this set on on the return from Osaka. Well, the stat that really stood out as well in that opening set was eight from 10 behind the second serve for Golovic. None from two right now in set two. [Applause] and two from two for Namia Saka in terms of games. What was the craziest match you ever played where you walked off the court and thought, “How on earth have I lost that match?” It’s a good question. I’m sure it was quite a few, but let me think about it. I come back to you. Okay. Ouch. Quitting love. [Applause] I’m still You got me there. I think we might have quite a while yet in this match, so it’s okay. Starting to feel it out there again. And mom’s on her feet. That’s the key. Whenever mom is on the feet, she wins the points. Crucial game for Victoria Golovic. Want to give too big of an advantage in this side for Naomi Osaka. Oh wow, that back hand. Not easy. Great hand adoption there from Golovich. Osaka did well to get to that ball, didn’t she? But bit unlucky point for Osaka. That slice was exceptional [Applause] and she’s broken again. That body language says much, I think. Third time in the match that Naomi Asaka has lost her serve. [Applause] Thank you. [Applause] Felt like it shot off the line. Queen 15. Bless you. Wow, that is magical when she finds that. The acceleration and the pace on that winner. You can’t even get upset really when you get that kind of a winner. Yeah, maybe just in her head a little bit with that second serve, thinking that return could be nasty. 1530 [Applause] Oh no. W it could be a perfect point for Namio Saka. Another mistake from that forehand return 40. We saw that a little bit yesterday on return. Just not able to get into points because of the return error. Yeah, she looks like she wants to snap that racket in half right now. You understand the frustration? Another game where she had a slight chances and then followed by few unforced errors right off the return. We saw a couple of games before the same situation. You understand the frustration. The feet stops and just the hands go forward. She took a lot of pace of that serve. Yeah, I was going to say that wasn’t a serve that oozed belief. And she’s having a bit of a moment here just to regroup. Crafty, wasn’t it? These are big moments now for Saraka’s hopes in Rome this year. You feel all the momentum is coming from the other end of the court, isn’t it? And she needs something to lean into and pretty urgently you would think, which is completely destroying the game of Naomi Osaka. [Applause] And now it’s got into her head. She would not do the mistake usually. I think also she’s trying to get out of some of these rallies early because she doesn’t want to have to deal with the slice and dice and variety. Well, that would have been a third game in a row if she’d managed to find a way to win that point. And she’s just not feeling it right now, is she? Yeah, that was much much better. Just took a little more time. 30 40. She has to find she has to find that combination where she’s not rushed, but she’s still aggressive and the one who opens up the point. Oh, she’s made it. My goodness. It’s been some little flurry of [Applause] Well, I think as Thursday mornings go, it’s been a pretty decent one so far for Victoria Golovich, hasn’t it? Yeah. And she, you know, she she took control. She’s she’s in charge right now. She’s believing in herself. Oh, she’s got to be brave now. Laced with a little bit of point construction and patience as well. Nice. A bit more proactive from Naomi. A bit more energy in her feet. again. Nicely done from Masaka. She’s charging at Golovic in this return game. And we like the reaction. A bit more fire. Try and find that momentum. That’s some response. Well, it all came together in a beautiful synergy that return game, didn’t it? More committed. More commitment from Osaka. Maybe the head just cleared a little bit as well. And now she’s back on the shoulder of the Swiss who’s been such a tough opponent so far today. Just too good. So [Applause] good. 15. This is such a good timing from Golovich to throw that drop shot. Oh, let’s It’s been a bruising serving day today for Naomi Saka. Broken four times so far. No way back from that. That’s a nasty fall for Golovic. She’s okay. Just her pride taking a bruising there. Again, a point that started with a serve that just laid the foundations for everything that followed for Asaka. Yeah, you feel it’s definitely more energy in Osaka shots in Osaka movement, just better body language, bit more sharpness. Well, that first serve percentage is down at 43% for the match again and it really has overexposed the second serve and she’s only won 36% behind it. Osaka, that’s been one of the key problems today. 40 15 Oh, quadrenita. 40 30 [Applause] Excellent reaction from Naomi Saka. Answers the loss of three games in a row with two of her own. [Applause] Queen 50 left. Queen feels like we’re just starting to see just one or two more errors now from Golovic. She hasn’t really missed much in the match today. Yeah, suddenly she’s the one who feels under pressure right now because she had all the advantage. She had the momentum. She got Naomi Osaka. Oh, dropped it in. Just enough top spin on that. To work hard for every point right now. Golovic. [Applause] [Music] Queen 14 [Applause] 15. Well, that just stops the bleeding a little bit. And Golovich is back on level terms in this second set. She’s bubbling up beautifully as we head towards the climax of it. She needed a solid hold. Golovic [Applause] really looks really [Applause] frustrated cross a bit now after those beautiful two games to was a problem yesterday and it has been today. Again, that forehand where she doesn’t turn the shoulders. Yeah, could see she’s a bit late. I think misjudging the distance and misjudging the spin of it from Golovic. That’s what it is. and as well as really slowing down on her speed on her serve. Now, Miaaka, [Applause] I feel this game could be crucial. She’s lost the last five points in a row quite quickly. calmly done. As soon as I said that she’s slowing down on speed on her, it’s a huge one. Much better. She shouldn’t slow down. You’re welcome. Good coaching from me. That could be hugely costly 304 and she understands that. No mistake there. She was itching to get forward, wasn’t she? Oh. [Applause] Nice step from Kolovich. She had time to pick her target. Shorter ball was inviting. Wow. Well, that came out of nowhere really. And Victoria Golovic has got herself into. It’s been nerveless, hasn’t it? But now for the first time there’s a bit of pressure. Can you finish the job that you’ve started so so well? Oh, that was a bit nervous. Nervous and a bit close and a bit unlucky. Oh, back in behind works a treat. We haven’t seen much of that from her today. Yeah, because she was not really allowed to do that. And when it the game of Golovich got into her head of Osaka head, it’s tough to to think clear. Hold on a second. A bit of a bold move there from Golovic. Didn’t prepare that well. Maybe a touch of panic. Taking a moment here very wisely so to do. Extraordinary response and she’s back in the and the matchin jock party five and second time in this set she’s broken to love first point is so important Olga isn’t it sorry sometimes when you lose it like that just gets in your head yeah I feel when she gets actually frustrated she’s bringing the game to another level yeah like is okay. Here she comes. [Applause] Five points in a row. Another one of those big momentum shifts and a big uptick in winners in this set in the last two or three games. One [Applause] queen [Applause] 15. Mother lashed at that. [Applause] very wisely just taking a [Applause] beat. You feel like turning a bit too early on that [Applause] forehand. Well, now they’re both battling with the demons of doubt, aren’t they? And uncertainty and anxiety. Well, putting a bit of kick on that serve and that really did affect the return of Golovic. Wow. Well, the exit door was flashing wildly at Naomi Saka a couple of moments ago. Oh, Come on. Yeah, that is not the start she would have wanted to this service game either. Yeah, a few slips of her bracket on the back hand side. Golovich showing how tight is the moment. She is a woman on a mission right now. [Applause] She’s come out swinging almost from the point at which she was teetering on the brink. 1530 [Music] [Applause] Oh, Yeah, it was a tentative serve. [Applause] 154. [Applause] It’s a Roman revival for Naomi. [Applause] She might have been making her way out of the Draw. Well, not surprisingly, Naomi Assaka cannot wait to get on with it right now. Excellent fight back from four, five down in that second set. Another big shift of momentum in this contest. them. Well, Penny for her thoughts right now, I think it also not only did was it taken away from her, it was taken away from her really quickly. Yes. And uh kind of the right way. Not much she could do there. Golovic. Yeah, for sure. You feel now different energy, different body language from Nami Osaka. She’s on the move on the run. So, it’s going to be very difficult for Golovic now. You feel to get back to that winning situation. How do you salvage the sort of positives of being taken into a third set when you’ve played so well? There is no positive secret. It’s just like such a like as we say always such a momentum game, such a mental game that you kind of know what’s going to happen already and it’s in your head. Everything is going Asaka’s way. That’s a fourth game in a row. First game. And this momentum is turning into a juggernaut coming at Golovic from the other side of the net. And she knows and feels and she see the difference because, you know, maybe the first set or the beginning of the second set, Osaka will miss this kind of point in the end. you know, maybe the the forehand, the low one, the slice one, but now she’s on the move and again the her mind is clear and you could see you could just feel that pressure and energy that Osaka creating right now. So, and I’m sure Goldbish knows that and it’s all kind of thoughts in her head right now. How did they miss that opportunity which again she didn’t really miss was taken away from you. Yeah, it was that forehand, wasn’t it, down the line that just missed. Yeah. The first point. First point. Yeah. She’s everywhere. Could feel the fire from her feet. So sharp again. Picked it up well. And she’s probably fed up of seeing that drop shot as well, isn’t she? Which has been sparkling. And that’s if you want someone to stop dropshotting. That’s the way you do it. feels like she’s pummeling the ball even harder now. That’s where also when you hear Osaka pumping herself up and saying come on before the point that’s where you know you’re in a dangerous place. Just nothing going her way at the moment. in danger of being broken for a third consecutive time. [Applause] All of a sudden, in the last 15 minutes, Naomi Saka has seized control of this match from the point at which she was in danger of losing it. Yeah, feels unstoppable right [Applause] now. What’s she thinking? She’s thinking I have nothing to offer right now. My game is not working suddenly. So good again. No messing around. That’s when you’re a coach and you give tactics before the match and you play against someone who drop shot a lot and you want them to stop doing that. That’s when you tell your player you have to get there every single time. Even if it’s really tough, but you at least touch and do the effort every single time and eventually they’re going to stop doing that or it will not be that good. The same with the big server. If you you have to show you’re there, you’re ready to return. You’re going to touch every single ball comes at you or at least put an effort there. And then, you know, that’s when you start to get chances because she’s got to remember it’s only the one break in this final set and she’s broken her opponent five times today. Trouble is there’s points like that with margin and real clarity of thought now from Aaka who seems to have cleared that scrambled mind. Scrambled mind. Well done. So, fabulous point. And what patience and determination from Osaka there just pure class. And it’s interesting that uh now Osaka managed to pull uh Golovic in a much more aggressive play which is not good for Golovic. It’s been remarkable this transformation. I love you. [Applause] [Applause] Well, I think it’s something of an understatement to say that Victoria Golovic could use a hold of serve right now. Having lost the last six games in a row, they’ve been taken away from her in truth. Snatched away from her. Yeah, she desperately need the one. Oh, have that. 15. Oh. [Applause] She knows she has to go forward, not sideways. party. Everything is going too fast for Golovic to take maybe more time between the points and break that momentum from Osaka. The trouble is when you feel the momentum turn against you, it makes you want to rush because the panic sets in. Yeah, it’s unintentional response because you start to panic and uh feel like you have to do more that you used to double breaka and now surely Asaka has planted one foot in round [Applause] three. I have to say I’m very impressed with patience from Osaka in this third set. Well, that’s what we talked about. A little bit more patience in the rally and and point construction rather than leaning into her panic which was trying to end rallies early. It’s a very very positive sign especially on Clay. shows also that her head is in the right place. Beautiful strike. And that reaction was the reaction of a player who wonders where that kind of tennis has been in the last 20 minutes. But as we said, she wasn’t really allowed to do that. Maybe Golovic was a little bit tentative on that one forehand, the first point on her serve at 54. I felt him instinctively. It was a bit nervous, but that’s only one, right? Pretty much. Yeah. And it was so close to the line. We’ll never know. But if that had landed a centimeter to the left, we might not still be talking about this match. Yeah. You know how in tennis one point can be the the one which decides the match body. Yeah, clever from Golovic just lurking in that juice corner waiting for the percentage crosscourt and it came straight to her. dispatched use just absolute beauty of a backand Well, it’s 41 winners now. Eclipsing what she was able to manage yesterday in two sets. Sorry. expressing herself emphatically now. And just one more game required for Naomi Asaka to book a [Applause] You want pitch 15. [Applause] Oh, exquisite volley 15. That was out of the Savchuk textbook, wasn’t it? Yes. Even the speed of Males serve has been increased because she’s been pushed to increase that speed overall. [Applause] Quarantage 40 15. Wait, please. Well, she deserves that. She ends the streak of games that have gone against her eight in a row. She did not deserve a bagel in this final set. No, definitely not. What’s your mind set right now? If you’re Golovic, you kind of half gave up on this match because you feel like you have no tools to come back in this match. I think you just swing from the hip. Yeah. And then you see what’s going to happen after a few few more games if you get lucky. It’s kind of a dangerous score line, isn’t it? Sometimes this one because you’re so far ahead, but you’re not home yet. 15 love. And this has been a match of quite strong momentum shifts. [Applause] Theresa 30 love. Oh, Queen 3015. Oh, she’d love that back. I didn’t see those kind of mistakes from Golovic in the first and a half sat. What a battling performance that was from Naomi Asaka. Victoria Golovich served for the match in the second set, but a sarcas response was to win nine of the