COLOMBIAN young gun Camila Osorio produced one of the better victories of her career, toppling former world number one and 2018 Indian Wells champion on day one of the WTA1000 event. Osorio took care of the 56th ranked Osaka 6-4 6-4, denying the Japanese star the chance to re-enter the Top 50 for the first time since returning from maternity leave.

Osorio’s win moved the 23-year-old to 4-3 for the WTA Tour season, and marked another impressive win over a former Top 10 player – let alone a world number one – after defeating 31st seed Maria Sakkari at the Australian Open. By getting the win, the Colombian denied Osaka a second shot at Danish prospect Clara Tauson, in what would have been a repeat of the Auckland final where Osaka had to retire when up earlier this year.

Instead, it will be Osorio who clashes with Tauson who has overcome injuries to be on rack for a career-best year. In Dubai alone she swatted away three Grand Slam champions or finalists, with wins over Aryna Sabalenka, Karolina Muchova and Elina Svitolina, as well as accounting for young Czech Linda Noskova, before falling to Russian star Mirra Andreeva in the final. It came after the Auckland title, a third round at the Australian Open, and Linz semi-final.

While Tauson enjoyed a first round bye courtesy of being seeded 22nd at Indian Wells, Osorio withstood the Osaka power to break three times to one throughout the 92-minute match and win 6-4 6-4. While Osaka served four aces among 22 winners to Osorio’s nil from 15, the Japanese star also hit a whopping 51 unforced errors.

Though the Colombian’s service efficiency resulted in six double faults, she did win 78 per cent of her first serve points (up from Osaka’s 68 per cent) as well as 55 per cent of her second serve points (up from 39 per cent). Nine of 15 winners also came off her forehand side, though also half of her 31 errors came from the same wing.

Three of the four breaks in the match came across the space of four games either side of the first and second sets. When 4-4, Osorio managed to nab a crucial break – before serving out the set – and broke Osaka a second time in the opening game of the next set. While Osorio had won four games on the trot, the momentum was quickly quelled when Osaka broke back immediately. It would not be until the seventh game for Osorio to break a third time and seal the match with a service hold to love.

Osaka was not the only former Top 10 player to lose on day one of the event, with wildcard Czech Petra Kvitova going down to France’s Varvara Gracheva in three sets, 4-6 6-3 6-4. Victoria Azarenka and Caroline Garcia had no problems posting victories, while there was much relief for Kiwi Lulu Sun, with the 2024 breakout player having a shocking start to 2025, but able to snap that form with a three-set win over Rebecca Sramkova 6-3 1-6 7-6.