Naomi Osaka used her second‑round victory over Katerina Siniakova as a platform to ask the growing crowd of social‑media personalities at the US Open to observe the traditional "etiquette" of tennis. The call comes after a series of videos from the tournament's opening day showed influencers filming or chatting during play, seemingly oblivious to the on‑court action. Osaka, who had already addressed the issue following her first‑round win against Anastasia Zakharova, said that respect for the sport should be a basic expectation for anyone attending a live match.
"When you walk into a sporting event you need to respect the sport," Osaka said after she survived a mid‑match wobble to defeat Siniakova 6‑2, 5‑7, 6‑1 and advance to the third round. "It's common courtesy to at least understand the basic rules and the etiquette that goes with it." She added that while influencers have the potential to broaden tennis's appeal, they must do so responsibly. "It could be a great thing for people to bring tennis to their audience, but it has to be managed much better, especially in situations like my first‑round match where the crowd was very noisy," Osaka explained.
"Overall there are huge positives – we want the sport to grow – but it has to happen in a way that everyone knows the rules and the proper conduct." Osaka recalled a moment in her opening match when the umpire had to raise his voice unusually high to quiet the crowd. "I think the umpire told everyone to be quiet more than I've ever heard an umpire do that," she said. "In my first match I wasn't really paying attention to the crowd because I was focused on the court, but there was a point when people were shouting and you could hear it clearly.
It bothered my opponent as well." The second‑round match against Siniakova was less dramatic off the court. Osaka arrived in a more subdued, shimmering all‑white outfit that would have felt at home at Wimbledon rather than the bright atmosphere of Flushing Meadows. Her earlier appearance in a long white skirt and hooded robe printed with newspaper clippings about herself had generated a lot of media buzz, but this time she let her tennis speak for itself.
The 13th seed started strongly, breaking Siniakova to love in the fourth game and sealing the first set with a second break. The second set was tighter; Osaka built a 4‑2 lead, then 5‑3, but her serve faltered and she was broken three consecutive times, ultimately dropping the set 7‑5. In the deciding set she regained composure, breaking only once and winning 6‑1 to move into the fourth round.
While Osaka was dealing with crowd‑control concerns, other storylines unfolded across the tournament. Iga Swiatek, the 2022 US Open champion, cruised into the third round with a 6‑3, 6‑2 win over Argentina's Nadia Podoroska in just 71 minutes.
This was only the second meeting between the two; their first encounter came in the 2020 French Open semi‑final, which Swiatek won en route to her first Grand Slam title. Swiatek, seeded eighth this year, broke early in the first set and never looked back, converting her first match point to secure her place in the third round for the seventh consecutive US Open.
On the women's side, Madison Keys staged a dramatic comeback against Anna Bondar, saving five match points before prevailing 5‑7, 6‑4, 7‑6 (10‑5). The 2017 US Open finalist, who later captured the 2025 Australian Open title, hit an impressive 34 forehand winners and credited the enthusiastic home crowd for her resilience. "That was something, huh?
No stress though – we all knew I had it, right?" Keys told the spectators after the win. In the men's draw, third seed Felix Auger‑Aliassime suffered a surprising second‑round exit at the hands of unseeded Russian Karen Khachanov, becoming the highest seed eliminated so far. Khachanov, a 2022 semi‑finalist, broke Auger‑Aliassime's serve seven times on Louis Armstrong Stadium and saved seven of nine break points, marking only his second top‑10 Grand Slam victory.
After a tightly contested first‑set tiebreak that Auger‑Aliassime edged, the Canadian could not sustain the momentum and managed only seven more games before the match slipped away. Elsewhere, American ninth seed Taylor Fritz continued his dominant start, dispatching Italy's Mattia Bellucci 6‑0, 6‑1, 6‑1 without dropping a set.
Fritz is among a small group of American men hoping to end a 23‑year drought without a male Grand Slam singles champion. His early performance has solidified his status as a serious contender. The broader conversation about influencer behavior highlights a tension between the sport's desire for fresh audiences and the need to preserve the integrity of live competition. Tennis officials have long emphasized quiet, respect for players, and proper conduct, yet the rise of smartphones and social platforms makes enforcement increasingly challenging.
Osaka's remarks echo those of former champions who have called for clearer guidelines and education for spectators, especially those who may not be familiar with the game's traditions. As the US Open progresses, organizers are likely to reinforce messaging about etiquette through announcements, signage, and possibly stricter penalties for disruptive behavior.
The tournament remains a showcase of both athletic excellence and the evolving relationship between sport and digital media. Fans can continue to watch the action live on Sky Sports from August 30, stream without a contract on NOW, or follow the matches via the Sky Sports app.
The Laver Cup will also be broadcast from The O2 in London later in September, offering another high‑profile tennis event for global audiences.