23rd seed beats Hailey Baptiste 6-3, 6-1 in second round
Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek also into round three
Naomi Osaka gave another demonstration of her growing confidence as she reached the third round of the US Open with an efficient 6-3, 6-1 win over Hailey Baptiste of the United States.
Osaka, the No 23 seed, put together a dominant performance as she controlled the baseline with her superior weight of shot but also showcased her improved movement and defence, which allowed her to absorb Baptiste’s offence.
As the most recent female player to win the US Open on multiple occasions, Osaka returned to New York this year in a curious position. This month in Montreal she put together the best tournament since her return from maternity leave in January 2024, defeating three top 20 players en route to her first WTA 1000 final. What should have been a significant, long-awaited breakthrough for Osaka turned into a painful evening after she fell apart in the final against Victoria Mboko and then received criticism for failing to congratulate the 18-year-old in her runner-up speech.
