The 2025 season is officially underway, and players are excited to showcase their skills. Naomi Osaka is making a comeback after a brief hiatus, starting strong by reaching her first final in two years at the Brisbane International against Clara Tauson. Now, as the Australian Open approaches, all eyes are on Naomi Osaka, who faces a familiar foe in Caroline Garcia—a rematch that could determine her path to redemption after last year’s early exit.

The Australian Open begins on Sunday, January 12, with the tournament draws just released, setting up a first-round match between Osaka and Garcia. Last year, Garcia delivered a commanding performance against Osaka, striking 34 winners, including 13 aces, and dropping only four points on her first serve to win 6-4, 7-6(2) at Melbourne Park.

After the draw on Thursday, Garcia expressed her excitement on X, stating, “New year, same draw 🔥💣@AustralianOpen This is starting to be a classic @naomiosaka 😂.” In their last encounter, in the third round of the Miami Open, Garcia won 7-6(4), 7-5. But is this really a threat to the four-time grand slam champion?

Naomi has won the AO title twice, in 2019 and 2021. In 2021, she defeated Garcia in the second round in straight sets. For the record, the two have faced each other four times on the WTA Tour, with their head-to-head record tied at 2-2. Although Garcia won their most recent match at the 2024 Miami Open, Osaka is steadily climbing this season.

This year, she kicked off her 2025 season on a promising note by reaching the finals at the Auckland tournament, marking her first final since her loss to Iga Swiatek in the Miami final in 2022. On January 5, she won the first set against Clara Tauson 6-4 and showcased her powerful groundstrokes by breaking Tauson twice. Unfortunately, an abdominal injury cut her run short.

Following her run at the ASB Classic, her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, who witnessed Osaka’s struggle during the match, shared his thoughts on Instagram. He posted a picture of both players with their trophies and wrote: “Great week preparation and great tournament @naomiosaka. Unfortunate ending and we cross fingers that it is not too bad. Congratulations to @claratauson for a very good week. #tennis #tennisplayer #naomi.” His message raised concerns about Osaka’s participation in upcoming events.

Despite her recent setback, Osaka shared images on Instagram from Melbourne, signaling her readiness for the upcoming challenge. If she succeeds, it would mark her first time reaching the second week of a major title since 2021. Former WTA pro Coco Vandeweghe believes there’s a clear path to success for Osaka this season.

Vandeweghe notes what could help Osaka clinch another grand slam

On January 4, during an episode of the Tennis Channel Live Podcast, hosts Steve Weissman, Coco Vandeweghe, and Prakash Amritraj delved into Osaka’s prospects for clinching another Grand Slam this year. Vandeweghe expressed her optimism, saying, “I knew what was on the table for Naomi Osaka. She was sneaking into top-50 no problem.” She highlighted the importance of consistency in Osaka’s game.

Osaka first captured the world’s attention by winning the 2018 US Open, making history as the first Japanese player to claim a Grand Slam title. She followed that with a remarkable victory at the 2019 Australian Open, which catapulted her to the top of the rankings. Vandeweghe noted that while luck is a factor in any player’s success, other elements are crucial too. “Sometimes the draws have to match up, you don’t get the rain delays, you don’t get the hottest day of the tournament,” she pointed out. With Osaka set to face Caroline Garcia again, could this matchup work in her favor?

Let’s not forget Osaka’s impressive run at the 2021 Australian Open. She dominated early rounds with standout wins against players like Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and even defeated Serena Williams in a highly anticipated semifinal. This victory solidified her legacy as one of only three players in the Open Era to win their first four Grand Slam finals.

Now, as the Australian Open approaches on January 12, there’s palpable excitement about whether she can recapture that fiery spirit and add another title to her collection. It won’t get much easier for Osaka should she win, as Karolina Muchova and Jelena Ostapenko all loom in a stacked section. Will she rise to the occasion and reclaim her place among tennis royalty? We want to hear your thoughts—share them in the comments below!