Paula Badosa vs Naomi Osaka Tips, Prediction & Live Stream - Badosa playing first match since March

Badosa's career has been plagued by injury problems over the last few years - with her chronic back problem threatening to send her into early retirement, something she says she's considered with more frequency over the last couple of months. The Spaniard hasn't played since withdrawing from Miami in March, which followed another retirement in Merida a few weeks prior. This certainly isn't the sort of match Badosa would have wanted to ease her way back into competition.

Osaka is on a six-match winning streak on clay after dropping down to WTA 125k level last week and securing her first ever title on the surface in Saint Malo. Osaka dropped just five games in her opening round in Rome against veteran Sara Errani and the former World No. 1 is building momentum and confidence with each victory. I'm backing the Japanese star to continue her winning ways and cover a -3.5 games line here.

This will be the first career meeting between the pair.

Badosa comes into this contest with a 12-7 record on the season, but she hasn't played since withdrawing ahead of her scheduled fourth round match in Miami back in March.

The Spaniard has done an outstanding job of grinding her way back into the top 10, making eight quarter-final (or better) results over the last 12 months.

The highlight of that period was undoubtedly Badosa reaching her first Grand Slam semi-final at the Australian Open in January, where she went down to Aryna Sabalenka.

However, Badosa's chronic back injury flared up during the month of March, causing her to retire in Merida and withdraw in Miami. The 27-year-old has a solid 8-3 record in Rome, making the quarter-finals in 2023 and the R16 in 2024.

Osaka enters this showdown with a strong 15-5 record for the season and on the longest winning streak of her career on clay.

The four-time major champion has won her last six matches on the surface, securing the WTA 125k title in Saint Malo last week before a dominant 6-2 6-3 triumph over Italian veteran Sara Errani in the opening round of Rome on Wednesday.

Osaka struck a whopping 40 winners across the two sets to extend her winning streak to six matches.

The former World No. 1 has also dealt with her fair share of injury problems this year, which forced her to retire in the Auckland final and in the third round of the Australian Open after beating Karolina Muchova in the previous round.