Naomi Osaka produces dramatic comeback to quell late Lucky Loser Viktorija Golubic at Rome Open

Naomi Osaka came from the jaws of defeat to see off late replacement Viktorija Golubic in the second round of the Rome Open on Thursday at the Foro Italico.

Osaka sealed it 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 in a great escape of epic proportions. She was set to face Paula Badosa in a marquee match before the Spaniard withdrew shortly before they were due to take to the court.

It was the back injury that has plagued her throughout 2025 that paid heed to her plans as Osaka then had to plan to face Golubic. Albeit Osaka would've been confident given that she was the champion last week at the Challenger tournament in Saint Malo.

She had also defeated Golubic in their only other meeting 6-3, 6-2 in the second round of the Tokyo Olympic Games back in 2021. But Golubic herself is in some semblance of form having reached the semi-finals in the same tournament as Osaka last week.

She went up a break twice in the second set and served for the match at 5-4. But Osaka switched sides and it gleamed a different result as with her back against the wall she broke Golubic back to level the second set at 3-3. Osaka then wrenched the match back in her favour. From 5-4 down, she reeled off eight straight games to go 5-0 up in the decider.

She then eased through 6-1 to set up a clash with Beatriz Haddad Maia or Marie Bouzkova as she bids to reach the Last 16 in Rome for a second year in a row. Crisis averted for the former World No.1.

Match Statistics Osaka vs. Golubic