Naomi Osaka Vs Antonia Ruzic Highlights, Australian Open: Japanese Survives Early Scare, Wins Opener In Three Sets

• Date: Tuesday, Jan. 20

• Time: 3:00 p.m. IST

• How to Watch (TV): Sony Sports Network

Rennae Stubbs, who worked with Serena Williams, doesn't see Naomi Osaka beating the top players under the current circumstances and winning this year's Australian Open. 

“Look, I just think again, she just doesn’t have the tennis under her belt that she needs coming in here. Can she beat anyone on any given day? Absolutely. Naomi Osaka is a four-time champion of a Major title. She knows how to win them. But everyone is so good now, and she has to get more tennis under her belt," Stubbs said on her podcast.

The previous match at the Rod Laver Arena, Jannik Sinner vs Hugo Gaston, ends prematurely as Gaston retires hurt. And that brings Naomi Osaka and her first-round opponent Antonia Ruzic on court. They have begun knocking and the clash starts soon.

It's a strong start from former world number 1 Osaka, who races away to a 3-0 lead in the first set after breaking Antonia Ruzic's service, first up. The Croatian is under pressure straight away.

Ruzic breaks Osaka back! The Croatian shows she has the stomach for a fight tonight as she rebounds to bring the first set back on serve at 2-3.

Osaka retaliates strongly to the service break, winning three games in a row to claim the first set comfortably by a 6-3 margin. She now is a set away from a victorious start to her Australian Open 2026 campaign.

It has been quite the see-saw battle so far. After Osaka, it is now Ruzic's turn to win three games in a row, albeit in the second set. The Croat breaks the Japanese serve one more time to lead 3-0 in the second set. Things could really interesting if Ruzic manages to hold her next two serves.

Ruzic leads 5-3 in the second set and is on set point when a lights issue crops up, and forces the chair umpire to stop the match. Quite a moment to halt play and it could have an impact on both players' rhythm.

The match eventually resumes, and Ruzic overcomes the break in rhythm to clinch the second set 6-3 against an inconsistent Osaka. We are headed for a decider, folks.

How many more twists and turns does this match have? Osaka breaks early in the third and final set, but Ruzic breaks back to draw level. After a couple of holds from either players, the Croatian breaks Osaka's serve again to take a crucial 4-3 lead in the decider.

Oh, well. That's about as sinusoidal a first-round women's singles match can get. Osaka breaks back yet again and then capitalizes on Ruzic's late forehand error to win the match point offering. She advances to the second round with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory that was hardly convincing, but did the job for the former world number one in the end.