Four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka will face No. 10 seed Paula Badosa in one of the most exciting matches in the first round of the French Open on Monday, May 26. The match will start at approximately 7:10 a.m. ET and will be broadcast by TNT, Max and TRUtv.
Despite their long and successful careers on the WTA Tour, Osaka and Badosa have never faced each other. Tennis fans will get to witness their first encounter, and what better place to do it than the most famous clay on Earth.
Find my French Open First Round preview and Osaka vs Badosa prediction for Monday below.
Naomi Osaka vs Paula Badosa Prediction
- Osaka vs Badosa Pick: Over 21.5
My Osaka vs Badosa best bet is Over 21.5 games total. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live French Open odds page.
Osaka vs Badosa Odds
| Naomi Osaka Odds | -135 |
| Paula Badosa Odds | +105 |
| Over/Under | 21.5 (-130o / -110u) |
| Osaka-Badosa H2H | 0-0 (first-ever matchup) |
| Time | How to Watch | Monday, 7:10 a.m. ET | TNT, MAX, TRUtv |
| Odds via BetMGM | |
Carlos Avilan's Osaka vs Badosa Preview, Prediction
Naomi Osaka Betting Preview
Four years ago, Naomi Osaka made headlines with one of the most shocking withdrawals at a Grand Slam after receiving a fine for skipping post-match media appearances following her first-round victory. She was also warned about a possible expulsion from the French Open if she refused to comply again.
The former World No. 1 then announced her withdrawal, revealing she suffered from anxiety and bouts of depression. She began taking breaks from her career — also because of pregnancy — and although she currently ranks 49th in the WTA standings, she is still considered a real threat on the tour.
Her aggressive style on the court and powerful serve make her a tough opponent — she's won 79.8% of her service games this year — but clay is not the surface where she can showcase her skills best.
Osaka's most notable performances at the French Open are three third-round finishes between 2016 and 2019.
During the clay court season leading up to Paris, Osaka fell in the first round at the Mutua Madrid Open before deciding to play a WTA 125 in Saint-Malo, France, where she ended up winning her first title on this surface.
Before Paris, she reached the Round of 16 at the WTA 1000 in Rome, where she lost to Peyton Stearns.
Paula Badosa Betting Preview
Since 2024, Paula Badosa has been playing the best tennis of her career, reaching the latest US Open quarterfinals and Australian Open semifinals.
The season looked promising until an old enemy of the Spaniard showed up again: her chronic back issues.
Badosa was forced to take a break in March when she retired from her quarterfinal match in Mexico, then skipped Indian Wells and had a walkover in Miami, all due to back pain.
Although she missed almost the entire clay season, Badosa completed treatment and claimed she was back not only to play but to fully compete. She reached the quarterfinals last week at Strasbourg, where she lost to Liudmila Samsonova in three sets.
Badosa, a former World No. 2 and currently No. 10, enjoyed her best performance at Roland Garros in 2021 when she reached the quarterfinals.
As Osaka, she is also a good server with an aggressive style but is more adept than her counterpart at playing from the baseline, especially on this surface.
This year, Badosa has won 34.1% of her return games and 74.5% when she served.
Osaka vs Badosa Predictions, Betting Analysis
While Osaka and Badosa are great players, both have big "ifs" coming into Paris.
Osaka celebrated her first title on clay, her self-proclaimed "worst surface" to play, saying it shows there is always room for improvement. However, this was at a lower-ranked tournament.
She has played well lately, beating players like Daria Kasatkina in Rome (whom she could face again if both advance to the third round). A good run at the French Open is possible, especially if she makes it through this match.
If Badosa had not relapsed, she would have been the clear favorite. It remains to be seen how timely her return was since she only completed one match this week — her loss to Samsonova — after she advanced on a bye and a walkover.
It should be a tight contest, possibly all the way to a third set.
Pick: Over 21.5 (-130 via BetMGM)
