Osaka returning to form ... on clay? You'd better believe it

ROME -- Let the record show that the first “Come on!” from the mouth of Naomi Osaka came on only the eighth point of Saturday’s third-round match against Daria Kasatkina.

That was how dialed-in Osaka was, engaged, on her way to an early break and, ultimately, a resounding 6-3, 6-3 victory over Kasatkina. At first glance, it might not look like anything earth shattering, but in the schematic of women’s professional tennis, this was a breakthrough of sorts.

For not only is Osaka certifiably back after 16 months away from the Hologic WTA Tour and giving birth to daughter Shai -- ironically, she’s doing it on clay, once her (truly) unhappy place.

Osaka is trending again. The folks on the social media site formerly known as Twitter have taken to calling her “Clayomi.”

“Please don’t,” Osaka said, sounding a little embarrassed. “Please. I think I need more clay credentials for that. But I’m happy that they're happy.”

In Monday’s Round of 16, Osaka faces another big hitter, Zheng Qinwen, a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 winner over Linda Noskova.

To put this turn of events in perspective:

Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam singles champion, but all of those titles came on the unrelenting hard courts of Melbourne and New York. This is only the third time she’s won three straight matches on clay and, by any measure, this is the best Osaka’s looked.

It happened seven years ago in Stuttgart where, as a qualifier, she defeated three players outside the Top 100 before losing her first main-draw match to Johana Konta. In 2019, she beat three solid players outside the Top 30 -- Dominka Cibulkova, Sara Sorribes Tormo and Aliaksandra Sasnovich -- but lost in the quarterfinals to Belinda Bencic.

Here in Rome, it’s been a far tougher path. After surviving a first-set tiebreak against Clara Burel, Osaka emerged with a straight-sets victory. She handled No.19 seed Marta Kostyuk 6-3, 6-2, but the win over No.10 Kasatkina was more than convincing.

Kasatkina just reached the finals on green clay in Charleston and was looking for her seventh trip to Rome’s round of 16. The same player who scalded Osaka in a recent practice match in Madrid.

“I remember her beating me like 6-0, or 6-1, if I'm being generous to myself,” Osaka said, smiling. “For some reason when the match started, I didn’t really know how to play on clay. I didn’t know how to structure the point. 

“I’m very happy that apparently I figured it out.”

This time, Osaka broke her five times, winning 13 of 18 points on Kasatkina’s second serve. She collected five aces, lifting her total in three matches to 15. Osaka wound up with 30 winners and 25 unforced errors -- hard-court numbers.

And maybe that’s the key to this run. Her time away was more than just a palette-cleansing dash of sorbet. On Saturday, she said it gave her time to assess her place in the game and come back hungrier. That it’s happening on clay, underlines her effort to, more than anything, adjust her attitude.

“It’s definitely more mental,” Osaka said. “I could always do it. I’m a little impatient. Obviously when you hit a heavier ball, for me, I feel like I think about a moon ball. It didn't really click until I was watching Nadal play and seeing how he actually accelerates so much when he’s doing that, knowing that a heavier ball sometimes is more difficult than a flatter shot.

“Yeah, I feel like I just did a lot of homework.”

Osaka seems to have moved past her aversion to clay and perhaps she’s reimagined these dusty, dirty red courts as sparkling blue hard courts. She is a hard-court phenom, with an overall record of 148-72; she wins better than two of every three matches. 

On clay, believe it or not, Osaka came into Rome with a career losing record. She’s now an over-the-top 25-23. She lost her first eight matches on clay to players ranked among the Top 20. Now, she’s won two in three days.

Against Burel, Osaka was missing forehands. Previously, Osaka might have reined it in and started going for less. Not this reinvented Osaka.

“I was just telling myself my forehand's one of my biggest weapons, and I shouldn’t be too discouraged,” Osaka said. “I knew the shots that I was going for that I missed were good intentioned. That was probably a result of nerves, and I just have to keep going for my shots and eventually or hopefully they start going in.”

Now, everything is going in.

It’s early, but Osaka’s growth is reminiscent of Maria Sharapova’s learning curve on clay. In 2007, after reaching the third round at Roland Garros, she uttered what has now become one of the most memorable quotes in sport.

“I feel like a cow on ice,” the 20-year-old Sharapova told reporters. “Especially on clay. It’s not as natural for me.”

Sharapova went on to win two titles at Roland Garros. After defeating Kostyuk, Osaka added another wonderfully self-deprecating image.

“I feel like I’m still a baby giraffe, like I’m trying to learn my steps,” Osaka said.

Yes, at 26, it’s possible to grow, adapt and to continue to learn.

“Winning three matches here is something that I’m extremely positive and happy about,” Osaka said. “I don't take it for granted at all. I am just very inspired by the players that I’m watching now.

“I wish with my whole heart to be where they are, so I’m doing whatever it takes. I feel like I’m just clawing my way back to hopefully where I think I belong.”