Osaka overcomes lapse to advance at US Open

NEW YORK -- Naomi Osaka recovered after a mid-match lapse to advance to the third round of the US Open on Thursday with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 victory over Katerina Siniakova.

The two-time US Open champion went out early on a day that had also had Alex Eala and Iga Swiatek on the schedule, with Coco Gauff headlining the action at night.

Doubles play also began Thursday, though Serena Williams and Venus Williams were not on the schedule. They could play their first-round match Friday against Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint, who beat Serena in singles play at Wimbledon this summer.

Osaka wore silver and white under her long white jacket with a white visor for her match in Arthur Ashe Stadium, after she was dressed in black with her hair done in cornrows under a headband in a tribute to former NBA superstar Allen Iverson for her opener at night.

The No. 13 seed appeared headed for a quick afternoon against Siniakova, who is ranked No. 1 in women's doubles but not as strong in singles as a player such as Osaka, who has won four Grand Slam titles.

Osaka won the first set in 30 minutes and then opened a 4-2 lead in the second. But she then had her serve broken in a lengthy next game and eventually her level of play took a substantial dip, with 20 unforced errors in the set after only four in the first.

Osaka quickly regained control, breaking for a 2-0 lead in the third before finishing a 19-shot rally with a volley for a winner en route to taking the next game, appearing more relieved than excited by her nice touch.

"The match was definitely really tough and I don't know, I just felt like I had to fight," Osaka said. "I definitely had a couple opportunities in the second set and I think I was a little bit too hard on myself. So I took the bathroom break, regrouped a little, came back and just tried to have no regrets."

Swiatek, the 2022 U.S. Open champion, had it much easier with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Nadia Podoroska. Eala, the No. 17 seed from the Philippines, faced a lengthy wait for her start after No. 3 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, the No. 3 seed, went to a fourth set against Karen Khachanov in the match preceding her.

Gauff, who won her first major title at Flushing Meadows in 2023, faces Paula Badosa in a night match that will be followed by No. 1 Alexander Zverev, who hopes for an easier time against Quentin Halys after he needed five sets to edge Lorenzo Sonego on Tuesday, barely avoiding becoming the first No. 1 seed to lose in the first round of a men's major since 2003.

Badosa will be playing for the second straight day, forced to finish her first-round match Wednesday after play was suspended Tuesday because of rain that hampered the tournament for multiple days. The sun was out again Thursday when play began.