Naomi Osaka used her recent second‑round triumph over Katerina Siniakova at the US Open as a platform to remind the growing contingent of social‑media personalities covering the tournament that they need to respect the sport’s traditional etiquette. The topic has been bubbling up ever since Osaka’s opening‑round victory over Anastasia Zakharova, when several viral clips surfaced showing influencers behaving in ways that appeared oblivious to the game being played. After navigating a brief wobble in the middle of her three‑set win against Siniakova—6‑2, 5‑7, 6‑1—to secure a place in the third round in New York, Osaka addressed the issue directly. “If you attend a sporting event, you have to respect the sport,” she said.
“It’s common courtesy to at least understand the basics, especially the etiquette.” She added that while influencers have the potential to broaden tennis’s appeal to new audiences, they must do so with a better grasp of the game’s rules and customs. Osaka recalled an especially noisy moment from her first‑round match, noting that the umpire had to raise his voice more than usual to quiet the crowd.
“I normally focus on the match and the court, but there were people shouting and it was audible. It bothered my opponent as well,” she explained, emphasizing that disruptive behavior can affect both players. The second‑round match itself was less of a media circus for Osaka. She arrived on court in a subdued, all‑white, shimmering outfit—much more classic than the bold, newspaper‑print robe she wore for her opening match, which had sparked a wave of commentary.
The understated look would have fit right in at Wimbledon, yet it suited the atmosphere at Flushing Meadows. Osaka started strongly, breaking Siniakova early in the first set and converting a second break to close it out 6‑2. The second set proved tighter; Osaka built a 4‑2 lead and later 5‑3, but her serve faltered, and she was broken three consecutive times, ultimately losing the set 7‑5. In the decisive third set she regained composure, dropping only one game to seal the win and move on to the next round.
While Osaka was addressing etiquette, other headline‑making matches unfolded. Two‑time US Open champion Iga Świątek powered through to the third round with a clinical 6‑3, 6‑2 victory over Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska in just 71 minutes. This was only the second meeting between the two; their first clash had taken place in the 2020 French Open semifinals, where Świątek emerged victorious on her way to her first Grand Slam title. The 2022 US Open champion, seeded eighth this year, broke early in the first set, took it 6‑3, and secured a crucial break in the opening game of the second set, never really allowing Podoroska to get a foothold.
Świątek converted her first match point and booked 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, unleashed a barrage of 34 forehand winners and credited the roaring home crowd for her resilience. After the win she quipped, “That was something, huh? No stress though – we all knew I had it, right?” The men’s draw saw a surprise exit as third seed Felix Auger‑Aliassime became the highest‑seeded player eliminated at this stage, falling to unseeded Russian Karen Khachanov.
Khachanov, a 2022 semifinalist, 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. Although Auger‑Aliassime edged the first set in a tiebreak, he could not sustain the momentum, winning just seven games thereafter. Khachanov, who had lost his opening matches in three preparatory tournaments, delivered one of his best performances to reach the third round. Elsewhere, American hopeful Taylor Fritz continued his dominant start, dispatching Italy’s Mattia Bellucci 6‑0, 6‑1, 6‑1, extending his flawless run without dropping a set.
Fritz, the ninth seed, is among a select group of players hoping to end the 23‑year drought for an American male Grand Slam champion. His early victories have solidified his status as a serious contender. Overall, Osaka’s call for greater respect for tennis etiquette underscores a broader conversation about how modern media coverage intersects with traditional sportsmanship. While influencers can play a valuable role in attracting new fans, Osaka stresses that they must first understand the fundamentals of the game and behave in a manner that honors the players, the officials, and the audience.
As the tournament progresses, the balance between vibrant social‑media engagement and the preservation of tennis’s long‑standing customs will likely remain a point of discussion among players, organizers, and fans alike.