Naomi Osaka defeated Iva Jovic, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, in the third round of the French Open.
Securing the win, Osaka avoided joining the list of big-name players to suffer early exits at Roland Garros this year.
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Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina, Jannik Sinner, and Novak Djokovic all failed to reach the second week.
After beating Jovic, Osaka commented on the number of upsets happening at this year’s French Open.
Naomi Osaka insists she is trying to focus on herself and take every match as it comes
During an interview with TNT Sports, Osaka was asked how she deals with shocking results elsewhere in the draw.
“Honestly, I’m the type that doesn’t really focus on what other people are doing anyway,” she said.
“I think it’s really important, especially in a Slam, because there is so much going on outside of your matches, but I think it’s important to lock in.
“For me, I sort of clock in and clock out, in a sense.”
Focusing on herself, Osaka was delighted with the win against Jovic.
She highlighted the area of her game she was most pleased with after the match.
“I think it was the movement, but also just trying to stay there, point by point,” said Osaka.
“She’s a really great player. I haven’t played her before, and [I was] just adjusting to what she does. Because she hit almost every forehand, I felt like, down the line, and that’s something that I wasn’t really used to, so yeah.”
Naomi Osaka vs Iva Jovic – Match stats
| Stats | Naomi Osaka | Iva Jovic |
| Aces | 12 | 4 |
| Double faults | 2 | 4 |
| 1st Serve % | 64% | 60% |
| Win % on 1st Serve | 79% | 76% |
| Win % on 2nd Serve | 53% | 55% |
| Break points | 3/6 | 2/3 |
Osaka was also asked how she plays her best tennis when it matters most.
“I don’t know, maybe you can tell me!” she said.
“I feel like it’s just trusting myself.
“Obviously, I don’t have the best record on clay, but I want to continue growing and learning more about my tennis, yeah, it’s just one match at a time.”
Osaka’s clay-court record is poor for a player of her calibre.
Before this year’s event, Osaka had never been past the third round of the French Open.
Naomi Osaka’s French Open performances
- 2016 – Lost in 3R to Simona Halep
- 2017 – Lost in 1R to Alison Van Uytvanck
- 2018 – Lost in 3R to Madison Keys
- 2019 – Lost in 3R to Katerina Siniakova
- 2021 – Withdrew before 2R
- 2022 – Lost in 1R to Amanda Anisimova
- 2024 – Lost in 2R to Iga Swiatek
- 2025 – Lost in 1R to Paula Badosa
- 2026 – 4R
The Japanese star now admits that making a clay-court breakthrough was one of the first things she spoke about with coach Tomasz Wiktorowski when he joined the team last year.
“Honestly, yeah, I talked to my coach about it,” said Osaka.
“It was one of the first things he brought up.
“He was like, I can’t believe you’ve never been to the second week, I just kind of shrugged.
“But it’s definitely something that I’m really proud of, and I just hope that I can continue.”
Naomi Osaka faces tough test in the fourth round of Roland Garros against Aryna Sabalenka
Looking to win her first fourth-round match at Roland Garros, Osaka will take on the world number one and last year’s finalist, Aryna Sabalenka.
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The Belarusian looks to have found her footing in Paris, having struggled at the Madrid Open and the Italian Open recently.
Osaka and Sabalenka have met three times previously, at the 2026 Madrid Open, 2026 Indian Wells, and the 2018 US Open.
It was Osaka who won their first encounter eight years ago, but Sabalenka now leads their head-to-head, following two wins earlier this year.
Their latest match was a close one, though, as Sabalenka fought back from a set down to defeat Osaka, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 in Madrid.
Who will emerge victorious in the fourth meeting between two four-time Grand Slam champions? Only time will tell.
Osaka and Sabalenka will meet in the fourth round on Monday, June 1.