Osaka Survives Paolini Test to Reach Tokyo Second Round

Naomi Osaka survived a stern first-round test in Tokyo on Tuesday, holding off Italy's Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 7-6(4) to reach the second round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open. The seventh-seeded home favourite, who won the WTA 500 tournament in 2019 and was runner-up in 2016 and 2018, saved seven of nine break points and struck 30 winners in a display that mixed power with composure at the biggest moments.

Paolini pushed Osaka hard, particularly in a second set that went to a tiebreak, but the four-time Grand Slam champion found the extra gear when it mattered. Saving break points has become a hallmark of Osaka's best tennis, and her ability to stay calm while Paolini pressed showed a player comfortable with the expectations that come with playing at home in Japan.

Osaka will next face 18-year-old Mia Pohankova of Slovakia, a 6-1, 6-4 winner against Czech Tereza Valentova. It is the kind of match that tests focus as much as form: a rising teenager with nothing to lose against a home star expected to win. On Tuesday's evidence, Osaka has the game and the temperament to handle it.