WHAT HAPPENED: The return to former glory continues for two-time US Open champion and No. 23 seed Naomi Osaka. Despite a mid-match comeback from No. 15 Daria Kasatkina, the Japanese star survived in three sets, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3, to advance to the fourth round of the 2025 US Open.
Osaka’s return to the Round of 16 in New York is her first trip to this stage since she last won the title in 2020. She advances into Round 4 for a highly anticipated fourth-round matchup with No. 3 seed Coco Gauff.
Against Kasatkina Saturday afternoon, Osaka admits she had to overcome a bit of nerves to get through the contest, but the crowd support in Louis Armstrong Stadium gave her the push she needed to close it out.
“Honestly, I was just trying to tell myself to stay calm. I was so shaky today, but I was really glad that it was an entertaining match,” Osaka said after the match. “I’m glad that whenever I come here it feels like home, and you guys are really great, so thank you.”
Osaka took advantage of a dismal start from Kasatkina, whose service woes saw her make only 26% of first serves and commit eight double faults in the opening set. Osaka did well to dictate the points, winning 25 of the 33 points played in the first set. She took the first set 6-0 in just 23 minutes.
Kasatkina recovered for the second set, cleaning up her service game and finding her range on returns to break Osaka three consecutive times to take a 4-1 lead. The former world No. 1 got her game back on track to notch two breaks of her own to get to 4-4, but after failing to consolidate the second break, Kasatkina served out the set to send it to a decider.
A break in the fourth game gave Osaka the 3-1 advantage, and a hold to follow gave her some room to breathe at 4-1. A nearly impenetrable service performance from the No. 23 seed in the third set kept Osaka in the lead until the end, when a crosscourt forehand winner ended the match in one hour, 44 minutes.
WHAT IT MEANS: Thus far in New York, Osaka took care of business handily through her first two rounds before dropping her first set to Kasatkina in Round 3. Her biggest test awaits as Osaka advances into Week 2 of the 2025 US Open for a matchup with 2023 US Open champion Gauff. Each of their five previous meetings have come on hard courts, with Gauff owning the 3-2 edge.
Knowing that Gauff is playing with a home-court advantage, the Japanese star pleaded with the crowd in Louis Armstrong Stadium to support her in the upcoming contest.
“Can someone come to the match and cheer for me?” Osaka asked the crowd with a laugh. “It’s kind of tough playing an American here, but I hope you guys have adopted me, as well. But I don’t know, I see her as a little sister, so it's really cool to see her here again.”
Osaka is quickly rising back into the form that saw her win four Grand Slam titles and reach a No. 1 ranking several years ago. Most recently, she finished runner-up in Montreal after falling to inspired Canadian wild card Victoria Mboko.
MATCH POINT: Osaka finished with 37 winners in the match compared to Kasatkina’s 15. The Australian’s double faults proved costly, accounting for 14 of her 24 unforced errors.
