Naomi Osaka did started her 2025 grass-court campaign with a defeat, as she fell to Liudmila Samsonova in the first round of the Berlin Tennis Open. Former World No. 1 Andy Roddick weighed in on Osaka’s form as her struggles continue heading into Wimbledon 2025.
Andy Roddick Offers Advice to Naomi Osaka As Her Struggles Continue Ahead of Wimbledon
Osaka has struggled to find her rhythm so far in 2025, with injuries playing a role. Her highlights so far include a runner-up finish at the ASB Classic in Auckland, where she withdrew mid-match, victory at a WTA 125 event in France, and a fourth-round run at the Italian Open.
After losing in the opening round of the French Open, the Japanese shifted her focus to the Berlin Tennis Open. She started well against Samsonova, taking the first set 6-3. The second set was tightly contested, eventually going to a tiebreak that the Russian claimed 7-6 (3). Samsonova seemed to have momentum in the decider, while Osaka struggled to regain control, losing 4-6 and exiting the WTA 500 event. Notably, this marked Osaka’s second consecutive first-round loss in 2025 and third overall.
Speaking to Tennis Channel, former US Open champion Andy Roddick said the former World No. 1 has taken longer than expected to climb the rankings since returning from maternity leave.
“When she came back last year, I thought she was making strides right around Indian Wells, Miami, and I thought she would be cruising towards the top 20. I think it’s probably taken a little bit longer than all of us expected. I think she’s probably frustrated by it. She’s lost a couple of tight matches, a bunch of three setters. But let’s remember, right? She’s only made it past the round of 16 of hard-court slams,” he said.
“I thought she’d be cruising toward the top 20. It’s probably taken a little bit longer than all of us expected” #TCLive discusses Naomi Osaka’s ongoing comeback after her first round Berlin exit pic.twitter.com/k9tLNVlgeC
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) June 17, 2025
Osaka has won all four of her Grand Slam titles on hard courts, twice at the Australian Open and twice at the US Open. However, she has never progressed beyond the third round at the Wimbledon Championships and the French Open.
Roddick added that clay and grass were never Osaka’s strongest surfaces, even at her peak. The American suggested that Osaka should use her serve and aggressive shots to take control early, and take risks on second serves to minimize exposure of her movement.
“So the clay and grass, I don’t know that was the measure for her success. Even when she was prime Naomi Osaka. So hopefully she kind of finds that pacing. There’s just no reason that she can’t play well. I think she really has to Focus on that first strike tennis, maybe move her serve around a little bit more, take some chances on the second set. So starting on the second serve so her movement doesn’t get a chance to get exposed as often,” he added.
Naomi Osaka Seeks Guidance From Older People for Battling ‘Inner Struggle’
Ahead of her 2025 Berlin Tennis Open match, Naomi Osaka made a desperate plea on Threads, seeking guidance from older people as she fought persistent inner struggles.
“I’m still trying to find myself and figure out who I am. Can someone older than me please let me know if that’s a constant inner struggle, or is it something we magically figure out one day?”
More: Naomi Osaka Reveals She Refused To Let Coach Patrick Mouratoglou Know Her Exact Feelings Before Pair’s One Important Conversation
Osaka has frequently spoken about her mental health, revealing in 2021 that she struggled with anxiety and depression. To prioritize her mental health, she withdrew from the French Open that year. Even now, she continues to speak candidly after tough losses on tour.
