09/03/26 02:04:00
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09/03 14:02 CDT Naomi Osaka advances, No. 3 Auger-Aliassime falls at US Open.
Alex Eala, Coco Gauff also in action
Naomi Osaka advances, No. 3 Auger-Aliassime falls at US Open. Alex Eala, Coco
Gauff also in action
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- Naomi Osaka recovered after a mid-match lapse to advance to
the third round of the U.S. Open with 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 victory over Katerina
Siniakova on Thursday.
The two-time U.S. Open champion played early on a day that saw No. 3 Felix
Auger-Aliassime become the highest-seeded player eliminated thus far when he
lost in four sets to Karen Khachanov.
Alex Eala followed that match, with Coco Gauff headlining the action at night.
Doubles play also began Thursday, though Serena and Venus Williams were not on
the schedule. They could play their first-round match Friday against Hao-Ching
Chan and Maya Joint, who beat Serena in singles play at Wimbledon this summer.
Osaka wore silver and white under her long white jacket with a white visor as
she arrived for her match in Arthur Ashe Stadium, after she was dressed in
black with her hair done in cornrows under a headband in a tribute to former
NBA superstar Allen Iverson for her opener at night.
The No. 13 seed appeared headed for a quick afternoon against Siniakova, who is
ranked No. 1 in women's doubles but not as strong in singles as a player such
as Osaka, who has won four Grand Slam titles.
Osaka won the first set in 30 minutes and then opened a 4-2 lead in the second.
But she then had her serve broken in a lengthy next game and eventually her
level of play took a substantial dip, with 20 unforced errors in the set after
only four in the first.
Osaka quickly regained control, breaking for a 2-0 lead in the third before
finishing a 19-shot rally with a volley for a winner en route to taking the
next game, appearing more relieved than excited by her nice touch.
"The match was definitely really tough and I don't know, I just felt like I had
to fight," Osaka said. "I definitely had a couple opportunities in the second
set and I think I was a little bit too hard on myself. So I took the bathroom
break, regrouped a little, came back and just tried to have no regrets."
Auger-Aliassime tumbles out and Madison Keys barely hangs on
Swiatek, the 2022 U.S. Open champion, had it much easier with a 6-3, 6-2
victory over Nadia Podoroska. Eala, the No. 17 seed from the Philippines, had a
lengthy wait for her start after Khachanov beat Auger-Aliassime 6-7 (5), 6-3,
6-2, 6-2.
The highest seed to fall so far had been No. 4 Novak Djokovic, who lost in the
first round at the U.S. Open for the first time in the 24-time Grand Slam
champion's career.
Madison Keys, the 2017 runner-up, also was on the verge of an early exit before
erasing five match points and edging Anna Bondar 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (10-5).
"That was something, huh? No stress, though, we all knew I had it right?" Keys
joked to the fans afterward.
Gauff, who won her first major title at Flushing Meadows in 2023, faces Paula
Badosa in a night match that will be followed by No. 1 Alexander Zverev, who
hopes for an easier time against Quentin Halys after he needed five sets to
edge Lorenzo Sonego on Tuesday, barely avoiding becoming the first No. 1 seed
to lose in the first round of a men's major since 2003.
Badosa will be playing for the second straight day, forced to finish her
first-round match Wednesday after play was suspended Tuesday because of rain
that hampered the tournament for multiple days. The sun was out again Thursday
when play began.
Other men in action include No. 9 Taylor Fritz and Gael Monfils, who is
planning to retire after this year but won Tuesday on his 40th birthday to
prolong his Grand Slam career and advance to face No. 14 Learner Tien.
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See AP's full tennis coverage here
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