NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 29: Naomi Osaka of Japan returns a shot against Karolina Muchova of … [+]
Naomi Osaka made a statement with her fashion on Thursday night at the U.S. Open, but her level of play did not match her outfit.
The four-time major champion took to the Arthur Ashe Stadium court wearing a black dress featuring a small shiny bow that rested on four tiers of ruffles. It was part of her Ambush collection designed by Yoon Ahn, who co-founded the Tokyo label Ambush in 2008 and began collaborating with Nike in 2018. Osaka, the 2018 and 2020 U.S. Open champion, wore a neon version of the dress for her day match on Tuesday.
But Osaka, currently ranked No. 88 in the world, was outplayed by Karolína Muchová of the Czech Republic, 6-3, 7-6(5), and saw her U.S. Open come to an end in the second round. Muchova has now won seven of her last eight matches at the Open.
She will next face Anastasia Potapova of Russia in the third round on Saturday.
“Just look around, this is unbelievable, the atmosphere and the people, it’s crazy energy and I really like that,” Muchova told Nick Kyrgios on court. “So I’m happy I performed the way I did today and it’s crazy.
Muchova, ranked No. 34, reached the U.S. Open semifinals a year ago before losing to eventual champion Coco Gauff. She also made the Roland Garros final in 2023.
Muchova, 28, underwent right wrist surgery in February and didn’t pick up a racket again for several months.
“Honestly, this year the biggest win for me is that I’m able to play again and I’m really grateful that I’m able to play tennis and that I made it here,” she said. “This is just cherry on top to be here again. This stadium is crazy.”
Earlier Thursday, No. 4 Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, withdrew from the tournament with an unspecified injury.
No. 6 Jessica Pegula of the U.S. advanced in straight sets over fellow American Sofia Kenin, 7-6(4), 6-3.
No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka remains the betting favorite, followed by No. 1 Iga Swiatek, the 2022 champion who destroyed Japan’s Ena Shibahara, 6-0, 6-1 on Thursday; and No. 3 Gauff, who faces a tough test in No. 28 Elina Svitolina in the third round at noon on Friday.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 29: Iga Swiatek of Poland returns a shot against Ena Shibahara of Japan … [+]
Osaka, 26, stepped away from the game last year while on maternity leave with her daughter Shai. In her return in 2024, she is 20-17 despite only two victories in the year’s previous three Grand Slams.
Muchova won four straight games to take the first set as Osaka struggled with her first serve and the Czech player attacked her second serve.
“That first serve, it’s gone missing,” Nick Kyrgios, who has worked with Osaka on her serve, said on ESPN.
Osaka was broken at 3-all when she hit a two-handed backhand into the net.
Muchova, who mixed up the pace effectively with slice, serve-and-volley and variety, then seized the first set with a forehand return winner off a second serve.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 29: Karolina Muchova of Czech Republic returns a shot against Naomi … [+]
During changeovers in the second set, Osaka sat in her chair and wrote notes to herself in a notebook.
Osaka got the crowd involved when she broke for 5-4 in the second set when she forced Muchova to hit a running forehand into the net.
Serving for the set at 5-4, 40-0, Osaka managed to lose her serve with a handful of forehand errors and then spiked her racket on the court in frustration.
In the tiebreak, Muchova came up with a huge crosscourt forehand winner from well beyond the baseline for a 6-4 lead.
Osaka saved one match point with a forehand overhead winner to make it 6-5 on Muchova’s serve.
On the second match point, Osaka approached the net but sailed a swinging forehand volley well long.
“She could be in the semifinals with this draw,” Chrissie Evert said on air.
