Naomi Osaka comeback; Coco Gauff advances

Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff both moved into the fourth round of the 2026 US Open on Saturday, September 5, according to the tournament’s official match reports. Osaka, the No. 13 seed and a two-time champion in New York, beat No. 24 Elise Mertens in three sets after dropping the second. Gauff, the No. 4 seed and 2023 champion, advanced with a straight-sets win over Spain’s Cristina Bucsa. Social media posts about both matches circulated on Sunday, but the tournament’s official coverage shows the wins were recorded on Saturday. ### How did Naomi Osaka come through her match? Naomi Osaka defeated Elise Mertens 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in Louis Armstrong Stadium to reach the second week of the tournament for the fifth time in 10 main-draw appearances at Flushing Meadows. The official US Open report said Osaka “persevered” through the match after an upset scare from the Belgian seed. (usopen.org) Saturday’s match also included a physical issue for Osaka. The US Open said Osaka took a medical timeout in the third set and later described the problem as a “nagging” Achilles injury. Sunday’s official follow-up from the tournament said Osaka had been dealing with a persistent left Achilles problem during the match. (usopen.org) That report tied the injury directly to the third-round win over Mertens, rather than to a later round. ### What made Osaka’s result stand out? The 7-5 final set was the key number in Osaka’s win. (usopen.org) After splitting the first two sets, Osaka closed the match in three sets against a seeded opponent and kept alive her bid for a third US Open singles title. The tournament’s official site also noted that Osaka is a former champion in New York, with titles in 2018 and 2020. (usopen.org) Her progress to the fourth round came after a first-round win over Anastasia Zakharova on September 1. ### How did Coco Gauff advance? Coco Gauff beat Cristina Bucsa 6-3, 6-4 inside Arthur Ashe Stadium to book another place in the second week in New York. (usopen.org) The US Open said Gauff worked through a tougher opening set before regaining the level she had shown in her earlier rounds. Saturday’s result sent Gauff into the fourth round without dropping a set in the tournament, according to the US Open’s daily results roundup. (usopen.org) That report listed Gauff among the women’s singles winners on September 5. ### What is the immediate next step for Gauff? Coco Gauff is next scheduled to face fellow American Iva Jovic in the fourth round, according to match coverage cited in reports available after Saturday’s play. (usopen.org) The Yahoo/AFP report said the Bucsa win put Gauff into the second week for the fifth straight year. The US Open’s live site and draw pages are carrying the tournament schedule, scores and next-round listings for both players. (usopen.org) As of Tuesday, September 8, the official tournament site remained the primary source for confirmed match progression in New York. (live.usopen.org) (sports.yahoo.com)