‘You have to respect the sport’: Naomi Osaka calls out USTA over influencer culture at US Open

Naomi Osaka of Japan (AP photo) Naomi Osaka has called for better management of influencers participating in the US Open, saying that their presence can contribute to the development of tennis, but should not come at the expense of respecting the rules and etiquette of the sport.The four-time Grand Slam champion spoke about the issue after advancing to the third round with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 win over Kateřina Siniak on Thursday.The USTA invited a large number of influencers to the tournament as part of its efforts to expand the reach of tennis and connect with new audiences. Osaka acknowledged the potential benefits, but believes awareness needs to be raised among match-goers.“If you come to a sporting event, you have to respect the sport. I feel like it’s common courtesy to read about the sport. Especially the etiquette,” Osaka said.She added that the involvement of influencers in the tournament can introduce tennis to an audience that might not otherwise follow the sport.“It could be good for people to make tennis popular for their specific audience. But I think it needs to be managed much better, especially in a situation like my first round match.”

“You want people to continue to develop the sport”

Osaka emphasized that she is not against efforts to expand the tennis audience. Instead, he believes that growth should go hand in hand with understanding how to behave in matches.“Overall, there are huge positives to it. You want people to continue to grow the sport. I just think it has to be a way that everyone knows the rules and the etiquette.”Her comments come as the US Open continues to draw attention from an audience outside of traditional tennis fans, with influencers becoming an increasingly visible presence at major sporting events.

Osaka survives Siniakova’s scare

Osaka spoke after recovering from a mid-match breakdown to reach the third round. The 13th seed stormed through the opening set in 30 minutes to lead 4-2 in the second, but her level plummeted when she committed 20 unforced errors after making just four in the first set.Siniak took the second set at 7-5, but Osaka quickly gained control of her decision. She took a 2-0 lead before finishing the final set 6-1.“The match was definitely really tough and I don’t know, I just felt like I had to fight,” Osaka said. “I definitely had some chances in the second set and I think I was a little too hard on myself. So I took a bathroom break, regrouped a little bit, came back and tried not to have any regrets.”

Ealo, Gauff are also advancing

Alex Eala also booked her place in the third round after beating Oleksandra Oliynyk 6-1, 6-4. The 17-year-old from the Philippines enjoyed strong support from the crowd and said she was proud to represent her country.2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff advanced after beating Paula Bados 6-4, 7-6 (5), while 2022 champion Iga Swiatek and 2025 runner-up Amanda Anisim were among the other winners.Madison Keys survived a major scare, saving five match points before defeating Anna Bondar 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (10-5).On the men’s side, Felix Auger-Aliassime became the top seed so far, losing to Karen Khachanov after struggling with dizziness and vision problems.