Naomi Osaka wins, Coco Gauff advances US Open

Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff both moved into the second week of the 2026 US Open on Saturday, September 5, but by different routes. Osaka, the two-time champion, rallied past No. 23 seed Elise Mertens 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in Louis Armstrong Stadium after dropping the opening set and taking a medical timeout for what she later described as a nagging Achilles issue. Coco Gauff, the No. 4 seed and 2023 US Open champion, advanced with a more straightforward 6-3, 6-4 win over Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The official tournament site said the victory sent Gauff into the fourth round in Flushing Meadows. ### Did Osaka win in straight sets, as some social posts suggested? (usopen.org) Naomi Osaka did not win in straight sets. The US Open’s official match report said Osaka lost the first set to Mertens before coming back to win 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 and reach the fourth round. The official site also described the match as one in which Osaka “survived a tough test” and “fought through pain,” language tied to the physical issue that emerged during the deciding set. (usopen.org) Osaka later said she was dealing with a “nagging” Achilles problem and had called for the physio midway through the third set. (usopen.org) ### What stood out in Osaka’s match with Mertens? Elise Mertens, the No. 23 seed, pushed Osaka deep into a third set after taking the opener and forcing the former champion to reset the match. The official tournament report said Osaka advanced to the second week of the US Open for the fifth time in 10 main-draw appearances in New York. (usopen.org) Osaka’s result mattered because it kept a former champion in the women’s draw despite a visible physical concern. On September 6, Osaka said the Achilles issue had been lingering, adding context to the medical timeout she took during the win over Mertens. ### How comfortable was Gauff’s path into the round of 16? (usopen.org) Coco Gauff reached the fourth round in straight sets, beating Cristina Bucsa 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday. The US Open’s official coverage said Gauff needed to solve problems presented by Bucsa early, then regained the form she had shown in her first two rounds. (usopen.org) Arthur Ashe Stadium hosted Gauff’s match, and the official report identified her as the No. 4 seed and a former champion in New York. Her win kept alive another run at the title three years after her first Grand Slam victory at the tournament. ### Who was next for Gauff after the Bucsa win? (usopen.org) Coco Gauff was set to face fellow American and No. 14 seed Iva Jovic in the fourth round on Monday, September 7, according to the US Open’s official preview published September 6. The tournament called it an All-American showdown. (usopen.org) The official completed-results page also listed both Osaka and Gauff among the women’s singles third-round winners as the tournament moved into its second week. Readers looking for updated results and subsequent opponents can find them on the US Open’s scores and completed matches pages. (usopen.org 1) (usopen.org 2)