For a second consecutive match at the US Open, Naomi Osaka appeared to be cruising. Everything was in hand as the two-time champion established a set and a break lead in her round two match against Katerina Siniakova, an uneventful return to the third round beckoning. Instead of carrying that great momentum forward until the end, though, Osaka was overcome by tension in the final stages of the second set and she soon found herself in a decider.
It took a significant amount of resilience and restraint for her to reset and find a way through to the third round with a comprehensive final set to win 6-2, 5-7, 6-1. Before the North American hard-court swing, a period that yielded US Open titles in 2018 and 2020, Osaka finally looked like a grand slam contender again. After years of struggling through the clay- and grass-court seasons, seemingly just waiting for the hard courts to return, this year Osaka produced career-best showings on those surfaces to the fourth round at the French Open and quarter-finals at Wimbledon.
Her level on grass at Wimbledon, a surface she has toiled on for much of her career, was particularly impressive as she defeated the world No 1, Aryna Sabalenka, in round four. Osaka ran out of steam in the quarter-finals, fatigue seeping in after she reached the Bad Homburg final a week earlier, but it was some of the best tennis she had played since winning her last grand slam title at the Australian Open in 2021. She headed back to North America full of confidence.
Elevated expectations can naturally lead to greater pressure and Osaka’s first two wins in New York this year are perhaps a reflection of the additional weight on her shoulders. In her 7-6 (6), 7-6 (3) first-round win over Anastasia Zakharova, a nervous Osaka squandered a break in both sets before barely dragging herself over the line in two tie-breaks. This time her nerves cost her a set.
The most important thing about the early stages of the grand slam tournaments for the top players, though, is simply finding a way to win and offering themselves an opportunity to unleash their top form in later rounds. Then it’s just like you can just pull from your memory bank for every certain situation that you need to get finished. You’ve been able to play so many different matches in different situations.
Here, obviously, I’ve had a lot of good memories, and I hope to continue making them.” It is increasingly difficult to speak only of tennis when discussing Osaka. At the same time that her overall form has improved, every grand slam appearance this year has featured dramatic walk-on outfits and match kit reveals that have generated their own headlines. Her outfits at the US Open this year are a homage to Allen Iverson, the former basketball player.
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