Naomi Osaka used her second‑round victory over Katerina Siniakova at the US Open as a platform to ask the growing wave of social‑media personalities who attend the tournament to respect the sport's long‑standing etiquette. The call comes after a series of viral clips from Osaka's opening match against Anastasia Zakharova showed several influencers chatting, laughing and generally ignoring the on‑court action, prompting a broader conversation about the role of non‑players in a live sporting event. After navigating a mid‑match wobble to defeat Siniakova 6‑2, 5‑7, 6‑1 and secure a spot in the third round, Osaka addressed the issue directly. "If you go to a sporting event, you have to respect the sport," she said.
"It's basic courtesy to at least understand the basics of what you're watching, especially the etiquette that governs the audience." She added that while influencers can help broaden tennis's appeal, they need to do so responsibly. "There's a huge upside to getting more people interested, but it has to be managed better. In my first‑round match, the noise level was distracting for both me and my opponent.
The umpire even had to ask everyone to be quiet, louder than I've ever heard an umpire make that request." Osaka explained that the disruption was not just a minor inconvenience. "I usually focus on my own game and the court, but there were moments when people were shouting and you could hear it clearly. It bothered my opponent as well," she noted. Her remarks underscore a growing tension between the desire to attract new fans through influencer culture and the need to preserve the integrity of the match‑day experience for players, officials, and traditional spectators.
The incident also highlighted Osaka's own evolving public persona. While her first‑round appearance was marked by a dramatic entrance—a long white skirt and a hooded robe printed with newspaper clippings about her—the second‑round outfit was far more subdued. She chose a sleek, shimmery all‑white dress that would feel at home on the grass courts of Wimbledon rather than the hard courts of Flushing Meadows. The change in attire mirrored a shift in focus from spectacle to substance as she settled into a rhythm on the court.
In the match itself, Osaka started strongly, breaking Siniakova to love in the fourth game and consolidating the break to take the opening set 6‑2. The second set proved more contested; after gaining a 4‑2 lead, Osaka's serve faltered and she was broken three consecutive times, eventually losing the set 5‑7.
Demonstrating the resilience that has defined her Grand Slam career, Osaka rebounded in the decider, dropping only one game to seal the win and move on to the fourth round. The day also featured notable performances from other top players. Two‑time champion Iga Swiatek breezed into the third round with a 6‑3, 6‑2 triumph over Argentina's Nadia Podoroska, finishing the match in just 71 minutes. This was only the second meeting between the two, the first having taken place in the 2020 French Open semifinals, which Swiatek won en route to her first Grand Slam title.
Swiatek, seeded eighth this year, displayed her trademark aggressive baseline play, breaking early in the first set and maintaining control throughout. American Madison Keys delivered an unforgettable comeback against Anna Bondar, surviving five match points before prevailing 5‑7, 6‑4, 7‑6 (10‑5). Keys, a 2017 US Open finalist and the 2025 Australian Open champion, hit an impressive 34 forehand winners, crediting the energy of the home crowd for her resilience. After the match she quipped, "That was something, huh?
No stress though – we all knew I had it, right?" On the men's side, third seed Felix Auger‑Aliassime suffered a surprising second‑round exit at the hands of unseeded Russian Karen Khachanov. Khachanov, who reached the semifinals in New York in 2022, broke Auger‑Aliassime's serve seven times on Louis Armstrong Stadium and saved seven of nine break points, earning his second top‑10 Grand Slam victory. Although Auger‑Aliassime edged the first set in a tiebreak, he could not sustain the momentum, winning only seven more games thereafter.
Meanwhile, American Felix "Taylor" Fritz continued his dominant start to the tournament, dispatching Italy's Mattia Bellucci 6‑0, 6‑1, 6‑1. Fritz, the ninth seed, is among the handful of American men still hoping to end the 23‑year drought without a U.S. male Grand Slam singles champion. His flawless performance further solidified his position as a serious contender.
Osaka's appeal for greater respect for tennis etiquette resonates beyond the immediate drama of the matches. Tennis, unlike many other sports, relies heavily on a tacit agreement between players, officials, and spectators to maintain a quiet, focused atmosphere. The sport's code of conduct includes silencing phones, refraining from loud conversations during points, and limiting movement in the stands.
While the presence of influencers can bring fresh eyes to the game, the balance between promotion and preservation of tradition remains delicate. The US Open continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports App. Fans can also look forward to the Laver Cup at London's O2 Arena from September 25‑27, also shown on Sky Sports.
As the tournament progresses, Osaka's message serves as a reminder that the sport's growth must be accompanied by an understanding of its cultural norms, ensuring that new audiences enjoy tennis without compromising the experience for those who live and breathe it on the court.