31-Year-Old Qualifier Topples Past Major Champion in Second Round of China Open

The tennis Asian Swing season continues with the conclusion of the WTA Korea Open, and the China Open 2025 for both the ATP and WTA is now underway. The 1000-level hardcourt tournament held in Beijing has brought out the biggest and the best on both sides, offering all a high level of tennis to observe. Qualifier and Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich battled through a three-set thriller to defeat World Number 14, Naomi Osaka of Japan. This is their fifth meeting since 2019, and Osaka has been resoundingly victorious in their matchups before this one. 

Game Styles, Similarities, and Game Strengths

The two athletes share a powerfully dictatorial baseline ability; their groundstrokes and ballstriking for this match were incredible at displacing and keeping the other pushed back and on the baseline. Additionally, for all their crisp ball hitting, they had an admirable, respectable amount of power, and went for more when necessary; rallies consisted of pulling the other all over the court, not just through the middle— though it was never ignored. Osaka, in the start, had more control overall in the gruelling but short, high-intensity rallies. Sasnovich wasn’t being reckless per se; the former Japanese number one simply outplayed the unseeded qualifier time and time again in the beginning. However, both women had movement and sense on their sides, and Sasnovich had a mind and focus of steel, moving forward fully unaffected, even as Osaka had an incredible first set win at 6-1.

A strength that Osaka had that kept her above her opponent, but unfortunately did not do quite enough to help her secure the win, was her service. Placement, accuracy, and power, especially, were something that the former World Number One had down solidly to help her through the match. Sasnovich, in the end, faced five break chances and was broken a total of four times in the match, double-faulted three times, served one ace, and won 59% of her first serves. Not the strongest showing for her service game, and it’s fairly impressive that she won the match with these stats, all the more testament to her groundstrokes and defense game. Osaka, on the other hand, served six aces, double-faulted three times, faced ten break chances, and was broken five times. Osaka won 64% of her first serve points.

How Sasnovich Was Able to Turn the Tide

From my observation, it was through sheer, intelligent patience that Sasnovich was able to finally notch a mark in her head-to-head against Osaka. She weathered on through the first set’s pummeling well, playing as she should have, taking all her near-misses and errors in stride, along with Osaka’s blinding winners. However, she was playing a high level of tennis the entire time, a level that Osaka had to contend with, even if for a few shots in each rally before the winners. It’s known that Osaka has been on the uphill and successful battle back from her maternity and injury leave. By the time it was mid-second set, about 3-3, Sasnovich had finally brought the Japanese Number One to the beginnings of her burnout.

Osaka’s perfect backhand down-the-line winners were not landing as before, nor were the unanswerable aces. Her movements slowed as well, but the Belarusian was still cracking her shots the same as before, only without as much pressure on her racquet from her opponent’s shots to make her miss as before. With Osaka’s serve and shots left so weakened, the playing field for Sasnovich suddenly became very accessible. There were a few free points by way of aces or sudden winners for Osaka; in fact, Sasnovich became the one sending Osaka scrambling all over. 

The seven-title winner’s fatigue was visible as she held her knees to try to collect herself between points, but it was quite clear that power had long shifted. Osaka still fought valiantly, going for all her serves and shots as before, but it all just missed the mark. Meanwhile, all of Sasnovich’s shots that were near misses now finally made their mark, all clipping the line disbelievingly, wowing the crowd, and only sending Osaka further into desolation. Sasnovich walked away from the match and into the next round victorious 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. She’ll face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who is seeded 23rd in this tournament. This will be the first time they have ever matched up against each other.