New York, September 1: Naomi Osaka kicked off her quest for a third US Open title with a straight-sets victory over Anastasia Zakharova at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The former world number one secured her spot in the second round after navigating two decisive tiebreaks.
Osaka, the champion in 2018 and 2020, maintained control throughout both sets, leading 5-2 in the first and 5-3 in the second. She demonstrated patience, winning the first tiebreak 8-6 and the second 7-3, concluding the match in just over two hours.
This victory adds to Osaka’s impressive Grand Slam season, marking her 10th major win of 2026. Her record across all four Grand Slams now stands at 10-2. It’s her first season with double-digit major wins since 2019, when she achieved 12.
A key factor in Osaka’s success was her serve. She delivered 11 aces, including one on match point, with 10 of those coming in the second set. Her season total now reaches 208 aces, making her the ninth player in 2026 to record at least 200.
This win also marks Osaka’s 11th victory on hard courts this year, which includes her semifinal and quarterfinal appearances in Washington, D.C., and Toronto, respectively.
Osaka has won 29 of her first-round matches in Grand Slam tournaments, losing only six. Her record at the US Open first round is now 9-1, with her only defeat occurring against Danielle Collins in 2022. Overall, Osaka has won 79 Grand Slam matches.
In addition to her performance, Osaka made a fashion statement with her attire. She wore an all-white gown at Arthur Ashe Stadium before switching to a black outfit inspired by former NBA star Allen Iverson.
Osaka expressed her admiration for Iverson, stating, “This is my tribute to Iverson. I really like him. I love expressing myself through clothing, and I’m glad you all appreciated it.”
For Zakharova, this loss marks another challenging Grand Slam season. In 2026, she has exited the first round in all four matches against players ranked in the top 15, remaining winless against any top-20 opponent with a record of 0-8 and a set score of 0-16.
Osaka’s next match will be against Katarina Siniakova, who defeated Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3, 6-2. Osaka leads their head-to-head 2-1, with Siniakova’s only win coming at the 2019 French Open when she defeated the top seed in the third round.
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