Naomi Osaka got off to an impressive start at the 2024 US Open. But that success was unfortunately fleeting on Thursday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Osaka followed up her first-round win over No. 10 seed Jelena Ostapenko on Tuesday by losing to Karolina Muchova in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6. Muchova, who advanced to the U.S. Open semifinals last year, outplayed Osaka with her forehand in the first set and looked set for a tough, but quick, exit.
However, Osaka rallied in the second set to force a tiebreak in the second and it looked like the crowd support might encourage her to extend the match to a third set. However, she squandered a 40-0 lead to take the set lead, making several crucial errors that allowed Muchova to rally and draw level. Osaka showed her frustration by throwing her racket on the court.