Naomi Osaka seals stunning rankings boost as she ends four-year title wait

 Naomi Osaka has sealed her return to the top 50 of the WTA Rankings after ending her four-year wait for a title at the WTA 125 Challenger event in Saint-Malo.

Former world No 1 and four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka defeated Kaja Juvan 6-1, 7-5 to claim the title, rallying from a break down in set two to close out the match in straights.

Despite not being an official WTA-level event, it is still a significant result for the 27-year-old.

It is Osaka’s first-ever title on clay courts at any level, while it is also her first title at any level since winning her second Australian Open crown in February 2021.

Osaka’s decision to enter the WTA 125 event came after a disappointing start to her clay season at the Madrid Open, beaten in her opening-round match by Lucia Bronzetti.

However, the step down to the Challenger tour has proven a success, with the Japanese having initially won four straight clay-court matches for the first time ahead of Sunday’s final.

Osaka beat Petra Marcinko in round one and Diane Parry in round two, before a quarter-final win versus Elsa Jacquemot and a semi-final triumph over Leolia Jeanjean.

The Japanese made it five wins in a row thanks to her triumph over Juvan, who is also looking to make her way back towards the upper echelons of the WTA.

“Kinda ironic to win my first trophy back on the surface that I thought was my worst,” wrote Osaka on social media.

“That’s one of my favorite things about life though, there’s always room to grow and evolve. Thanks to everyone accompanying me on this journey, I know it’s turbulent but it’s also really fun and I’m grateful.”

Triumph in Saint-Malo vindicates Osaka’s decision to play the event rather than spend almost two weeks without playing a competitive match.

And, it also seals an impressive rankings boost for the Japanese.

Currently ranked as the world No 55, Osaka was projected to rise five spots to world No 50 following her run to the final.

However, her triumph on Sunday means that she earns 100 points and will rise seven spots to world No 48 when the WTA Rankings update on Monday, with Emma Raducanu among those affected.

Raducanu was projected to rise one spot to world No 48 after winning her opening-round match in Madrid, though she will now stay at her current ranking of world No 49 next week.

Osaka is also now just two points away from reclaiming her Japanese No 1 ranking from Moyuka Uchijima.

Following her impressive run to the last eight of the Madrid Open, Uchijima is projected to rise nice places to world No 47 and hold 1,150 points, with Osaka just two points behind on 1,148.

There is also good news for runner-up Juvan, who will move up 159 places to world No 356 thanks to her run to the final.

Osaka will next be in action at the Italian Open in Rome, with the women’s singles draw set to be revealed on Monday.