Naomi Osaka returned to the New York stage with the confidence of a player determined to write a new chapter. Under the lights of the US Open, she dispatched Belgium’s Greet Minnen in two sets, 6-3, 6-4, moving smoothly into the tournament’s second round.
This was more than a routine win. Osaka has been rebuilding piece by piece since her comeback from maternity leave, and Tuesday’s performance carried the hallmarks of a player settling into her old skin again—steady footwork, measured aggression, and the refusal to yield momentum once she held it.
Now seeded for the first time in over two years, Osaka carries the weight of expectation differently. Her partnership with coach Tomasz Wiktorowski has injected a tactical discipline that pairs with her natural shot-making flair. The Montreal final earlier this month suggested sparks of revival; New York may provide the full flame.
Her next opponent, American Hailey Baptiste, will test whether Osaka’s resurgence is momentum or destiny. With two US Open titles already in her trophy case, the former world number one knows this court can be transformative.
For Osaka, Flushing Meadows has always been more than a battleground—it has been a proving ground. And once again, she looks ready to prove.
