2025 Japan Championships Osaka WTA Entry List: Osaka, Fernandez, Sakkari & more

The 14th edition of the Japan Championships will be played from October 13th to 19th, and many great players are on its entry list.

From 2009 to 2014, the WTA 250 event was held in Osaka. It had a spell in Tokyo from 2015 to 2017, in Hiroshima from 2018 to 2019, before returning to Osaka since 2023. The tournament was not held from 2020 to 2022.

Last year's final contained a surprising matchup between Suzan Lamens and Kimberly Birrell, who qualified to reach the main draw. Lamens produced an excellent performance to triumph 6-0, 6-4 against the Australian.

Although much great tennis was played, the 2024 iteration was harmed by Naomi Osaka withdrawing from her home event because of an injury she sustained during her 2024 China Open match against Coco Gauff.

Osaka is overwhelmingly likely to be the most significant draw at any WTA 250 tournament, but it is particularly pronounced in her home country. Thankfully for the organizers, that experience has not dissuaded the former world No. 1 from signing up for the tournament again.

However, the organizers will undoubtedly watch her matches at the 2025 China Open and 2025 Wuhan Open with trepidation, hoping she does not sustain another injury that rules her out of the Japan Championships again.

Osaka is also in much better form than during last year's Asian swing. She reached her first 1000-level final in over three years at the 2025 Canadian Open, losing out to home hero Victoria Mboko in the final despite winning the opening set.

A few weeks later, the four-time Grand Slam champion enjoyed her best result at a major since winning the 2021 Australian Open at the 2025 US Open with a semifinal appearance, falling in a thrilling battle against Amanda Anisimova.

Unless a higher-ranked player receives a wild card, Osaka will be the No. 1 seed. That puts additional pressure on her shoulders, but she seems in a better place to handle that now than at the start of her comeback after being on maternity leave.

Leylah Fernandez will try to find the form from the 2025 Citi Open when she competes at the Japan Championships. The Canadian played arguably her best tennis since reaching the 2021 US Open final to secure the title.

Fernandez made headlines at the start of that tournament by publicly stating she wanted to go on a date in Montreal afterward and telling men to message her. She later said that the date went well.

The Japan Championships will be one of Maria Sakkari's last chances to win a first title since triumphing at the 2023 Guadalajara Open. It has been a mixed season for the Greek, without many outstanding highlights.

Alexandra Eala, who became widely known after beating Iga Swiatek during her run to the 2024 Miami Open semifinal, had championship points to win the 2025 Eastbourne International. She has a chance to take the next step in Osaka.

Katie Boulter, Elise Mertens, Linda Noskova, Iva Jovic, Alycia Parks, and Lois Boisson were among the other players on the Japan Championships' entry list.