Naomi Osaka booked her place in the next round of the 2026 US Open with a hard-fought victory over Elise Mertens in a late-night thriller at Flushing Meadows. The four-time Grand Slam champion admitted afterwards that she could scarcely believe she had come through the contest, telling reporters: 'I cannot believe I won this match.' The match stretched into the small hours, a familiar feature of the US Open schedule that has tested players throughout the opening rounds.
Osaka's performance, however, was far from her commanding best. The Japanese star confessed that she had been 'playing terribly' for large stretches of the contest, with movement and timing clearly compromised. Speaking through tears after the match, Osaka acknowledged the difficulty of grinding out the win under those circumstances. Her visible frustration during changeovers drew sympathetic applause from the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, who recognised the grit required to push through against an opponent as steady as Mertens.
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The root of Osaka's struggles, she revealed, was a 'nagging' Achilles injury that flared up during the match and prevented her from moving freely. The issue became severe enough that she felt compelled to apologise directly to children watching from the stands, conscious that the level of tennis on display fell well below her usual standards. Medical staff were consulted between sets as Osaka attempted to manage the pain while still competing.
The win keeps Osaka's campaign alive in New York and avoids what would have been a headline-grabbing early exit. Mertens, the world No. 21 from Belgium, pushed the former world No. 1 throughout, forcing a third set and repeatedly testing Osaka's movement around the baseline. Osaka now faces a recovery challenge ahead of her next outing, with the Achilles problem certain to be monitored closely by her coaching team and tournament medical staff.
Coverage from Sky Sports, TNT Sports and ABC News highlighted the emotional nature of Osaka's post-match comments, with broadcasters repeatedly focusing on her candid self-assessment rather than the scoreline. The episode marks the latest physical setback for Osaka in a season already punctuated by injury concerns, and raises fresh questions about her durability deep into a Grand Slam fortnight.
