Naomi Osaka overcame a costly second-set error spree and a spirited Katerina Siniakova challenge, regrouping after a bathroom break to win decisively and reach the US Open third round.
IMAGE: Japan’s Naomi Osaka serves during her US Open second round match against Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova in New York on Thursday. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Key Points
Naomi Osaka overcame 20 unforced errors in the second set to beat Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 5-7, 6-1.
A bathroom break before the deciding set helped Osaka regain her composure and move past her frustration.
Osaka raced through the opening three games of the third set and saved two break points in the fifth to seal victory.
Two-time champion Naomi Osaka overcame a flurry of mistakes to fight past Czech Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 5-7, 6-1, finding her mettle to reach the third round of the US Open on Thursday.
The 13th seed has spent years taming her own tendency toward self-recrimination, and showed the best evidence of her new career outlook as she reclaimed her composure with a bathroom break before the third set at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
IMAGE: Two-time champion Naomi Osaka will meet Belgian Elise Mertens in the third round. Photograph: Robert Deutsch/Reuters
“The match was definitely really tough. I don’t know, I just felt like I had to fight,” said Osaka, who will next play Belgian Elise Mertens.
“I think I was a little bit too hard on myself, so I took the bathroom break, tried to regroup and have no regrets.”
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A Near-Perfect First Set
IMAGE: Katerina Siniakova plays a backhand shot. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
The winner in 2018 and 2020 was pristine through the first set, with just four unforced errors, as she broke her opponent to love in the fourth game.
The Czech did herself no favours with three double faults in the eighth game before letting Osaka break again on set point with an unforced error.
Osaka Regroups and Finds a Way
IMAGE: Naomi Osaka enters the court before the match. Photograph: Robert Deutsch/Reuters
It was a different story in the second set, where Osaka’s form dropped just as Siniakova hit her stride, and the Japanese 13th seed put up 20 unforced errors that gave the Czech too many chances.
After trading breaks twice in the second set, Osaka tapped her racket on the court in frustration after whacking a backhand into the net and handed Siniakova the break with another backhand error in the penultimate game.
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The Japanese Star Takes Control of the Decider
IMAGE: Naomi Osaka acknowledges to fans after winning the match. Photograph: Robert Deutsch/Reuters
Osaka went to the locker room before the third set, a decision that helped her move on.
“I just told myself that it’s an honour to play on this court,” said Osaka, who reached the semi-finals a year ago. “I just want to keep playing in front of you guys, if possible.”
She emerged back on the court with new resolve, sprinting through the first three games and saving two break points in the fifth before closing it out with an unreturnable serve.