Naomi Osaka used her recent second‑round victory over Katerina Siniakova as a platform to ask the growing contingent of social‑media personalities who attend the US Open to respect the traditional etiquette of the sport. The conversation about influencer conduct began after Osaka's opening‑round win against Anastasia Zakharova, when several videos surfaced showing some content creators appearing distracted, chatting, or otherwise not paying attention to the match. Osaka, who had to recover from a brief wobble before sealing a 6‑2, 5‑7, 6‑1 triumph, said that anyone who steps into a sporting arena should first understand the basic customs that govern the event. "If you come to a sporting event, you have to respect the sport," Osaka told reporters.
"It's common courtesy to learn about the sport, especially the etiquette." She added that influencers have the potential to broaden tennis's appeal to new audiences, but that potential must be harnessed responsibly. "People can help make tennis popular with their followers, but it has to be managed much better, especially in situations like my first‑round match," she explained.
"Overall there are huge positives – we want the sport to grow – but it has to happen in a way where everyone knows the rules and the proper conduct." Osaka also recounted a moment in her first match when the umpire had to raise his voice repeatedly, asking the crowd to quiet down – a request she said was louder than any she had ever heard. "I wasn't really paying attention in my first match," she admitted. "I usually focus on the court, but there were people shouting and you could hear it clearly.
I think it bothered my opponent too." The second‑round clash with Siniakova was less headline‑grabbing off the court, and Osaka opted for a more understated entrance outfit. While she had turned heads earlier in the tournament by wearing a dramatic white skirt and hooded robe printed with newspaper clippings about herself, this time she chose a sleek, shimmery all‑white ensemble that would have looked at home at Wimbledon rather than the hard courts of Flushing Meadows.
On the court, Osaka started strongly, breaking Siniakova early in the first set and cruising to a 6‑2 win. The second set proved more competitive; Osaka built a 5‑3 lead but then suffered three consecutive service games lost, allowing the Czech to take the set 7‑5. In the deciding set Osaka re‑asserted her dominance, dropping only one game to seal the match and move into the third round.
The article also highlighted other notable performances at the tournament. Iga Swiatek, the 2022 US Open champion, dispatched Nadia Podoroska 6‑3, 6‑2 in just 71 minutes, marking only the second meeting between the two after their 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 maintained control throughout, converting her first match point without difficulty and advancing to the third round for the seventh consecutive year.
Madison Keys staged a dramatic comeback against Anna Bondar, surviving 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, hit an impressive 34 forehand winners and credited the enthusiastic home crowd for her resilience. After the win 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 Karen Khachanov, becoming the highest‑seeded player eliminated so far.
Khachanov, a 2022 semi‑finalist, broke Auger‑Aliassime's serve seven times and saved seven of nine break points, earning 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 won only seven more games.
Taylor Fritz continued his dominant run, dismantling Mattia Bellucci 6‑0, 6‑1, 6‑1 and extending his unbeaten start to the tournament without dropping a set. Fritz, the ninth seed, is among a select group of American men hoping to end a 23‑year drought without a U.S. male Grand Slam singles champion.
These narratives underscore a broader theme at this year's US Open: while the tournament showcases high‑level tennis and dramatic storylines, it also serves as a reminder that the sport's traditions and etiquette remain essential, especially as new audiences arrive via social media. Osaka's plea reflects a desire to balance modern exposure with respect for the game's long‑standing customs, ensuring that tennis can grow responsibly while preserving the atmosphere that makes live matches special. 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 The O2 in London from September 25‑27, also shown on Sky Sports.