2018 U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka bulldozed her way into the third-round of this year’s tournament on Wednesday night, defeating Italy’s Camila Giorgi 6-1, 6-2.
It was a showdown of two big hitters, and Osaka played the cleaner match with 14 winners to only 11 unforced errors, advancing in one hour and 10 minutes.
“I never want to depend on what the other person’s going to do,” said Osaka. “Even if I play a power player, my goal is to be the dictator. I think that I was able to do that quite well. I think when she was hitting really hard, I was able to neutralize. When I had the chance, I went for the ball I wanted.”
The fourth-seeded Osaka will take on young Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who ousted 31st seed Anastasia Sevastova in straight sets.
France’s Caroline Garcia upset top-seed Karolina Pliskova, neutralizing the big-hitting Czech by the score of 6-1, 7-6(2) to secure her spot in the third-round.
“It’s top players, so if you wait for the mistake it’s never going to happen. If you let Pliskova breeze and take your serve, you’re never going to make a return, and then it’s 6-4, 6-4 and you’re done in one hour,” said Garcia. “So you have to make her in trouble—that’s what I liked and it was a great challenge for me. I did well in this challenge and I can take the happiness for it, and now I’m after another one.”
Awaiting her there will be 28th seeded American Jennifer Brady, who defeated her compatriot CiCi Bellis 6-1, 6-2 in one of the first matches of the day on Wednesday.
Former champion Angelique Kerber beat fellow German Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-3, 7-6(6), and she’ll play young American Ann Li who scored an upset over 13th seeded American Alison Riske 6-0, 6-3.
Novak Djokovic continued his undefeated run in 2020, coming back from a set down to beat Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
“It was anybody’s game really for a set and a half,” said Djokovic. “I made some breaks and then obviously after winning the second set I felt more comfortable. I was returning better, I started to read his serve better and I was pleased with my serve. Overall, it was a very good test and I am happy to get through.”
He will play 28th seeded German Jan-Lennard Struff, who ousted young American Michael Mmoh 6-2, 6-2, 7-5.
Alexander Zverev overcame a test from Brandon Nakashima but managed to advance with a 7-5, 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-1, holding serve in each of his service games to move on in just under three hours. Zverev will play 32nd seed Adrian Mannarino who beat American Jack Sock 7-6(5), 7-5, 6-2.
An intriguing matchup is set for round three as Taylor Fritz and Denis Shapovalov both won their respective second-round matches on Wednesday.
The second-round of singles play will be wrapped up on Thursday. Click Here to see the full order of play for Day Four at the 2020 U.S. Open.
