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After a 15-month maternity break, four-time Major winner Osaka marked her return to the French capital with a hard-earned three-set victory over Lucia Bronzetti in the opening round.

That potentially sets up a meeting with Swiatek in round two, should the reigning champion overcome Leolia Jeanjean in her first round encounter.

Osaka is thrilled by the prospect of facing the world No.1, who has lifted Coupe Suzanne Lenglen three times in the past four years. 

"I'm really excited," Osaka said.

"I watched her a lot when I was pregnant. I think it's an honour to play her in the French Open, because she's won more than once here. It's a very big honour and challenge for me."

After beating Bronzetti 6-1 4-6 7-5, Osaka (75.3 per cent, 58-19) now only trails Swiatek (81.4 per cent, 70-16) among active players, for the highest winning percentage in women’s singles matches at the Majors.

The Japanese was made to work hard for her victory. After a dominant opening set, Osaka was taken to a decider, in which she was pegged back from 4-0 up, but eventually got over the line.

"The match really was like a rollercoaster," she added. "I felt like I was extremely focused in the first set, and maybe I let it go a bit.

"I came back in the third, but then I let it go a bit, and I just got really tight from there. I'm really glad I was able to regroup and win."

Now ranked No.134 in the women's standings after her long lay-off, Osaka had little trouble finding her feet and did not face a break point during a dominant first set.

World No.48 Bronzetti responded by holding three consecutive serving games in the second set on Court Philippe-Chatrier, staving off two break points to clinch a 4-3 lead.

Osaka managed back-to-back breaks to seize a 4-0 advantage after the Italian forced a deciding set, but had to hold off a late comeback to triumph in the French capital.

Now 5-3 on clay at WTA events in 2024, Osaka has claimed five seasonal match wins on clay for the first time since 2019, when she held the WTA's No.1 ranking.