In a match that electrified the Italic forum, the sensation of American tennis Peyton Stearns He delivered the biggest surprise or his career, surviving No. 1 of the world Naomi Osaka 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4) to assault in the quarterfinals of the Italian open 2025.
The sandy performance of the 23 -year -old woman on Monday, May 12 showed her implacable unwavering base and nerve game, consolidating her status as an ascending force on the WTA tour. With this victory, Stearns continues his remarkable career in Rome, since he has already demolished the fifth seed of Madison Keys in the previous round, and now establishes his sight in a deep tournament race.
A battle for ages
The crash of the 16 round was a two -hour and 43 -minute marathon that had fans on the edge of their seats. Stearns, held the 42nd position in the world, faced a formidable challenge in Osaka, a four -time Grand Slam champion who had the leg rediscovering the shape in clay.
The recently title of Osaka in L’Astan 35 from Saint Mal And its powerful portion, 13 Aces in Rome before this game, made it a great favorite. However, Stearns, driven by its discomfort by the keys (2-6, 6-2, 7-6[3]), Brought an aggressive game plan and an unwavering approach to the court of the baking center.
Stearns hit first, breaking Osaka on the opening set to claim it 6-4 with 13 winners and a first-level victories rate of 70%. Osaka, however, roared in the second, taking advantage of his 10 aces and 52% of breakwaters to level the game in 3-6. The decisive set was a roller coaster, with Neith Player giving an inch. Stearns saved 7 or 10 rest points, while Osaka had problems, turning any of the three opportunities. He
The match culminated in an exciting tiebreaker of the third set, where Stearns’s composure shone. “I was just trying not to vomit in the middle of the court,” Stearns joked after the game, reflecting on the intensity of the tiebreaker. His 33 winners of the 28 of Osaka and a clutch performance at the final points sealed a 7-6 triumph (4).
Stearns’ Road to the quarterfinals
Stearns’s trip to the open quarterfinals Italians has been spectacular. Starting his campaign in the 128 round, he sent local favorites Nuria Brancaccio 6-3, 6-2, Showing its skill on the clay court with a winning probability of 81% based on 10,000 simulations. In the round of 64, she surprised the 28th seed Anna Kalinskaya 6-2, 6-3Capitalizing your aggressive reference game and anticipation skills.
His annoying third round of Keys, the current champion of the Australia Open, scored his second victory in the race among the top 10 and promoted it to a projected classification of his career of No. 35.
The clay credentials of the Americans are well established. His WTA WTA title came to clay in the 2024 Rabat Grand PrixAnd he reached the final of the Cup Colsanitas 2023. In Rome, Stearns has been relentless, dropping only one set into four games and averaging 30 winners per game. His 10-4 clay record on last year underlines his comfort on the surface, a fact that Osaka learned in the difficult way.
What’s still for Stearns?
Stearns now faces a discounting room confrontation against anyone Danielle Collins, Who surprised the reigning champion IGA SwiatekWorks Council Elina Svitolina. The predictive models give Stearns a fighting opportunity, with their current form suggesting that it could lead the best players to the limit. Its agility, perfected the duration of its NCAA championship days at the University of Texas, and its ability to eliminate physical battles makes it a dangerous opponent.
A brilliant future on the horizon
Stearns’s performance in Rome is a rapid ascent. Since he became a professional in 2022 after winning the NCAA Singles Title, She has risen from outside the top 100 to a non -career. 42, achieved on May 5, 2025. Its appearance in the fourth round in 2023 US Open and the results consisting of 2025, including a strong presentation in the Open of MadridIndicates its potential for an advance of the 20 best. His 2-0-to-face record against Keys and now a victory of Signature over Osaka reinforces his trust while looking at France’s open at the end of this month.
For American tennis fans, Stearns represses a lighthouse of hope One was after the serene. Together with players such as Coco Gautf and Jessica Pegula, it is part of a new wave that pushes female tennis forward. His heroicity of Rome, along with his 1-11 record against the 10 best players who improve with each discomfort, suggests that he is ready to compete with the best.
Final thoughts
Peyton Stearns’s impressive victory over Naomi Osaka at the Italy Open 2025 is more than a discomfort: it is a statement. With a lethal right, steel resolution and a special skill for clutch moments, the 23 -year -old is rewriting her narrative on the WTA tour.
While preparing for his quarterfinals, the world of tennis is looking, eager to see that this American who extends for free can go. Is Rome the stage for your first WTA 1000 semifinal? One thing is safe: Peyton Stearns is a name that he won to forget.
