Naomi Osaka has finally had her dream Miami Open run ended, with Jasmine Paolini playing the role of the villain.
Osaka was ‘embarrassed’ after throwing her racket in her previous match, where she overcame Hailey Baptiste in round three.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka praised Baptiste at the net after their match, before turning her focus to Paolini.
And it was the Italian sixth seed who emerged victorious from their Miami Open round of 16 encounter at the WTA 1000 event.
Despite Osaka taking the first set at the Grandstand, Paolini recovered to beat the former world number one 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty ImagesNaomi Osaka thankful despite Miami Open defeat to Jasmine Paolini
The world number seven now meets Magda Linette in the Miami Open quarter-finals, with Osaka heading home.
She has, however, managed to remain upbeat despite the loss, with the 27-year-old sharing a positive message on social media.
READ MORE: Naomi Osaka says what she could do in her first round match at the Miami Open which she hasn’t been able to for a long time
“Miami I love you so much, thank you for the energy and the memories, I’ll be back sooner than you think,” Osaka wrote on X.
Miami I love you so much 🥹❤️ thank you for the energy and the memories, I’ll be back sooner than you think 😉 pic.twitter.com/Cv8dxJH4Eu
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) March 24, 2025
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What were Naomi Osaka’s results in positive Miami Open run?
Osaka can be really proud of her efforts at the Miami Open, where she is still trying to find her feet after injuries and coming back from maternity leave.
The world number 61 is some way off her best-ever ranking, but certainly showed signs of her former self in Miami.
READ MORE: Roger Federer named his four favourite WTA players back in 2021, here is where they all are now
Characteristics such as determination and sheer power were on display throughout her tournament, which started with a comeback win over Yuliia Starodubtseva.
A straight-set victory was then secured over 24th seed Liudmila Samsonova, with Osaka then emerging successful from a back-and-forth battle with Baptiste.
RoundOpponentScoreRound oneYuliia Starodubtseva3-6, 6-4, 6-3Round twoLiudmila Samsonova6-2, 6-4Round threeHailey Baptiste7-6(8-6), 3-6, 6-4Round fourJasmine Paolini3-6, 6-4, 6-4Naomi Osaka 2025 Miami Open results
She has now taken on a total of four tournaments in 2025, with the future definitely looking bright for the four-time Grand Slam champion.
A rankings rise could be on her agenda after she fell five places in the latest rankings, with Paolini having fallen one spot to seventh.
AloJapan.com