NEW YORK (Reuters) -Four-times major champion Naomi Osaka powered into the U.S. Open fourth round on Saturday with a 6-0 4-6 6-3 win over 15th seed Daria Kasatkina to continue her best Grand Slam run since 2021.
Osaka lit up Louis Armstrong Stadium in broad daylight, turning her third-round clash into a showcase of power and composure.
The Japanese player dominated early, absorbed a brief second-set wobble, and closed out the win to set up a blockbuster fourth-round showdown with American third seed Coco Gauff.
“Honestly, I was trying to tell myself to stay calm. I was so shaky today but I’m glad that it was an entertaining match,” Osaka said.
Whenever I come here it feels like home and you guys are very involved and I feel grateful, thank you.
“Can someone come to the match and cheer for me?,” the 27-year-old added. “I mean it’s kinda tough playing an American here but I hope you guys have adopted me. I kinda see her as a little sister so it’s cool to be playing her here.”
From the first point, Osaka looked sharp, putting pressure on Kasatkina with an early break gifted to her by a double fault before racing into a 3-0 lead.
Kasatkina’s delivery deserted her in the first set with eight double faults and only 25% of first serves landing as Osaka coolly dished out a bagel in 22 minutes.
Kasatkina, however, forced a decider after a scrappy second set riddled with breaks. Errors crept in on both sides, Osaka’s frustration surfaced, and Kasatkina steadied enough to seize the lead.
Seven service breaks kept the set on edge before the Russian-born player finally held her nerve to level the match.
Osaka, however, regained her composure in the third.
She saved a break point with two blistering winners and surged into a 3-1 lead before closing out the match to stay on course for a third U.S. Open title.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in New York, editing by Ed Osmond)
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