Naomi Osaka was off to an impressive start at the 2024 US Open. But that success was unfortunately fleeting on Thursday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Osaka followed up her first-round upset of No. 10 seed Jelena Ostapenko on Tuesday by losing to Karolina Muchova in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6 (5). Muchova, who advanced to the US Open semifinals last year, overpowered Osaka with her forehand in the first set and appeared to be in for a difficult, yet quick win.
However, Osaka fought back in the second set to force a tiebreaker in the second and looked as if the crowd support might lift her to extend the match to a third set.
Yet she squandered a 40-0 lead to start the set, committing several crucial errors on returns that allowed Muchova to rally and tie. Osaka showed her frustration by bouncing her racket on the court. Getting new life, Muchova came back with strong serves and forehands that Osaka could not overcome, while also covering seemingly every corner of the court.
Osaka won the US Open in 2018 and 2020, and remains enormously popular with fans. She entertained the crowd and social media with her stylish outfits punctuated by bows on the back of her jacket, top and shoes. Her first-round victory over Ostapenko showed that she was returning to the player she was before taking a hiatus for her mental health in 2021.
Osaka’s play had been inconsistent since then as she fell down in the world rankings. Last year, she withdrew from the Australian Open, announcing she was pregnant with her first child. As should be expected, it was difficult to work herself back into top form both physically and mentally.
“I don’t feel like I’m in my body,” she said earlier this month in an Instagram post. “It’s a strange feeling, missing balls I shouldn’t miss, hitting balls softer than I remember I used to.”
Osaka acknowledged that struggle after defeating Ostapenko, crying into a towel.
Naomi Osaka: “During the pressure moments I got nervous.” Suggests the solution is to maybe play more matches #USOpen2024
— Jake Nisse (@jakenisse) August 30, 2024
Expecting Osaka to advance far into this year’s tournament may have been too much, but defeating a top-10 player for the first time in four years and showing off a powerful serve demonstrated that she is still capable of excellent play. Speaking to reporters, she admitted to feeling nervous, which might be resolved by playing more from here on out.
Muchova will face Anastasia Potapova in the third round. Potapova defeated Varvara Lepchenko in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.
