By STEPHEN WHYNO
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Aug. 30, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
NEW YORK (AP) — Naomi Osaka and Iga Swiatek rolled into the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open, showing off what once made each of them the top-ranked women’s tennis player in the world.
Osaka dominated Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 in their highly anticipated showdown Monday in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Swiatek rallied from down 3-1 in the first set to beat Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-1.
“At the beginning, I felt like she was playing really fast,” said Swiatek, who is seeking her second U.S. Open title and seventh in a Grand Slam. “I wanted to find my rhythm, but later on I really felt like I was in my bubble and in my zone.”
Osaka, in the quarterfinals at a major for the first time since 2021, is set to face No. 11 Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic for a spot in the semifinals. Up next for Swiatek is American Amanda Anisimova in a rematch of her 6-0, 6-0 victory in the Wimbledon final.
The No.8-seeded Anisimova reached her first U.S. Open quarterfinal by beating No. 16 Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-0, 6-3.