Naomi Osaka was once the dominant force in women's tennis. She reached No. 1 and won four Grand Slams. She could have been better on grass and clay courts, but she almost always had the advantage on hard courts. She still has the skill set to be scary.
But she is also extremely inconsistent, even within a match. She can destroy an opponent in one set only to come back and lose the next. Such was the case against Daria Kasatkina in the third round of the 2025 US Open.
In the first set, Kasatkina struggled mightily with her serve, landing just 26 percent of her first serves and having eight double faults. Meanwhile, Osaka was playing some of her most pristine tennis since she returned to the sport in 2024 after taking a year off.
Naomi Osaka defeats Daria Kasatkina in the third round of the US Open
Osaka was painting the lines while letting Kasatkina beat herself. The first set was almost too perfect for Osaka. Her level was extremely high while her opponent's was at her lowest. The match seemed done, though the Japanese player still needed to win another set.
The match wasn't over, though. Kasatkina got a break to start the second set and raced to a 4-1 lead in one of the biggest service turnarounds one can imagine. She landed nearly 70 percent of her first serves, while Osaka dipped to taking only 20 percent of her own second serves. The Australian evened the match by taking set two 6-4.
The third set reverted back to something closer to the norm for both players. Osaka used her power to at times overwhelm Kasatkina, while Kasatkina used her excellent placement and high tennis IQ to try to stay in the match. But as the set evolved, Osaka's power became far too much for the Australian.
The Japanese player got the break she needed early and simply needed to keep holding to move into the fourth round of the US Open for the first time since she won the event in 2020. She did so and won set three 6-3. She is a real threat to get her third US Open title if she stays in her current form.
Naomi Osaka's next match is not an easy one, though. She will play 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff in the round of 16. The match should be one of exquisite shot-making by powerful players.