Lucia Bronzetti recorded her inaugural win against Naomi Osaka in their third encounter, overcoming the former World No. 1 in the first round of the clay-court Mutua Madrid Open WTA 1000 tournament. The Italian secured the victory on Tuesday with a final score of 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
Ranked World No. 59, Bronzetti had previously lost both matches against Osaka, including a three-set contest at Roland Garros the previous spring. This time, she emerged victorious after a match lasting 2 hours and 21 minutes, advancing to the second round in Madrid for the second consecutive year.
The 26-year-old now holds an impressive four career wins against former World No. 1 players, with three of these significant triumphs occurring within the current year. This includes defeating Simona Halep in the Romanian`s final career match at her home event in Cluj-Napoca, as well as besting two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka in Melbourne in January.
Both competitors entered the tournament seeking improved form. Bronzetti arrived in Madrid following a three-match losing streak, including an unexpected straight-sets loss to a much lower-ranked French teenager in Rouen the week prior. Osaka was playing her first match since her fourth-round defeat at the Miami Open nearly a month ago.
The four-time major champion, Osaka, showed strong serving early in the match, leading through the initial five games. However, Bronzetti secured the crucial break in the first set at 3-3. She won three consecutive points from 30-15, capitalizing on errors from Osaka.
Bronzetti`s next challenge in the second round is against the fifth seed and reigning Australian Open champion, Madison Keys. Bronzetti will aim to reach the third round of a WTA 1000 event for the third time and will also look to break her 0-8 career record against Top 10 opponents, as well as her 0-2 head-to-head record against Keys.
Dominic Ashworth 
Jasper Hawthorne