Naomi Osaka on course for Swiatek clash after digging deep to win opener at Roland Garros

Naomi Osaka reached the French Open second round for the first time in three years with a gritty victory over Italy's Lucia Bronzetti on Sunday, setting up a potential clash against world No 1 Iga Swiatek.

Osaka, who took a 16-month break from tennis in September 2022 to start a family, blew hot and cold in the first match on Court Philippe Chatrier of the 2024 tournament but persevered to secure a 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 win.

She will next face her fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek – if the Pole sees off Leolia Jeanjean on Monday.

The pair have only played each other twice before, with their last meeting being a Swiatek victory in the 2022 Miami Open final.

Sunday was Osaka's first win in a Grand Slam match since the 2022 Australian Open, after losing in the French Open and US Open opening rounds that year and at Melbourne Park earlier this season.

The Japanese star has never reached the second week at Roland Garros, with all of her major titles coming on the hard courts of Melbourne and New York.

She also withdrew from the tournament in 2021 to protect her mental health after being fined for opting out of mandatory media commitments.

Naomi finds a way