Naomi Osaka, the 13th seed, overcame Elise Mertens 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in a hard-fought third-round match at the US Open on September 5, 2026, to reach the tournament’s last 16 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Osaka battled through a medical timeout taken for treatment on her left calf and ankle and showed visible frustration, committing 41 unforced errors, particularly on her backhand [3, 5]. She was also hampered by an Achilles issue late in the match but managed to fight through the pain to claim victory [3].
Osaka arrived on court wearing a grey checked blazer-hoodie paired with wide-leg pants, blending boardroom style with athletic flair as she made her walk-on appearance [1, 2, 3]. Despite the struggles during the match, she expressed surprise and admitted, “I’m literally shocked that I won this match” [5]. The four-time major winner and two-time US Open champion (2018, 2020) said, “I know she’s one of the best players in the world, so I have no choice but to come with a high level,” and noted her desire to see how far her game can go [4].
Before this encounter, Osaka held a 28-10 record for the season [4] and advanced to the second week of a third Grand Slam event in 2026 with this victory [4]. Her next opponent in the round of 16 will be Elena Rybakina or Yuliia Starodubtseva, who face off in their fourth-round match [1, 2, 4].
