Naomi Osaka advanced to the third round of the US Open 2026 in New York on 4 September, defeating Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 in 2 hours and 2 minutes — recovering from a mid-match wobble to confirm her place among the contenders at Flushing Meadows. The four-time Grand Slam champion, a two-time US Open title holder (2018 and 2020), showed resilience after squandering a 5-3 lead in the second set before dominating the decider.

How the Match Unfolded

Osaka was commanding through the opening set and largely untroubled on serve for the first seven games of the second set — facing not a single break point. Then came a sudden collapse: she dropped serve three times in a row, allowing Siniakova to claw back and level the contest. Osaka reset with authority in the third, conceding just one game to close out the match.

The pattern echoed her first-round outing, where she had needed two tiebreaks to edge past No. 101-ranked Anastasia Zakharova — a player who broke the former World No. 1's serve four times. Osaka had admitted to being 'so nervous' in that encounter. Against Siniakova, the nerves showed in a different way, but the result was the same: a third-round berth.

Historic Milestone for Osaka

The win marked the eighth time in 10 main-draw appearances that Osaka has reached the US Open third round — a consistency few players in the modern era can match at a single major. More notably, this is only the second time in her career that she has reached the third round of all four Grand Slams in a single season, the first being in 2018.

Earlier in the year, the 28-year-old had also reached the third round of the Australian Open, the fourth round at Roland Garros, and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon — her career-best showing on grass. The full-season form suggests Osaka is building toward something significant in the second half of 2026.

The Fashion Statement

Off the court, Osaka continued to draw attention for her match-day looks. Her first-round outfit — inspired by Allen Iverson, featuring sweatbands, a hoodie embellished with career-defining moments, and a long tulle skirt — had made headlines. Thursday's ensemble was comparatively understated: a white collared outer layer adorned with beaded tennis racquets, finished with a long mesh train whose fabric strips fluttered as she walked.

What's Next: Mertens Awaits

Osaka's third-round opponent will be No. 20 seed Elise Mertens of Belgium, who defeated Uzbekistan's Maria Timofeeva 6-3, 7-6(5) to reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the 29th time in 39 main-draw appearances. Mertens — a two-time US Open quarterfinalist (2019 and 2020) — also had to recover from a 5-3 second-set deficit before winning the final four points of the tiebreak.

Osaka leads their head-to-head 6-3, including 4-3 on outdoor hard courts. In 2026 alone, she has beaten Mertens twice without dropping a set — 6-3, 6-3 in Bad Homburg and 6-1, 6-2 in Toronto — conceding just nine games across both encounters. History strongly favours Osaka heading into their 10th career meeting.