Two-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka battled into the last 16 of the US Open on Friday, requiring three sets to defeat 18-year-old Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk.
Osaka, the 2018 US Open champion, needed 2 hours and 33 minutes to beat the unseeded world No 137 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2 inside an empty Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“She was very good. I’m kind of scared of how she is going to be in the future,” Osaka said of her vanquished opponent.
Frustration got the better of the Japanese fourth seed in the second set. After recovering from 5-3 to force a tie-break she threw her racquet when Kostyuk tied the match 1-1.
But Osaka’s experience came through in the deciding set as she held her serve and broke Kostyuk twice to set up a match against 14th seed Anett Kontaveit.
Kontaveit progressed by beating 24th seed Magda Linetter 6-3, 6-2.
Osaka, of Haitian and Japanese heritage, walked onto the court wearing a facemask emblazoned with the name of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black man who was shot dead in broad daylight while jogging in the town of Brunswick, in southern Georgia, in February.
Osaka is wearing different masks honoring victims of racial injustice and police brutality throughout the tournament.
Germany’s 17th seed Angelique Kerber also progressed to the fourth round, making light work of American Ann Li 6-3, 6-4.
Kerber, the 2016 US Open, will go up against Jennifer Brady for a quarter-final spot after the American 28th seed knocked out Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-3.
Petra Kvitova struggled with unforced errors but still had enough weapons to defeat American Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-3 to advance to the fourth round.
The two-time Wimbledon champion had 28 unforced errors and five double faults but moved up a gear when it mattered to win her first career meeting with baseline battler Pegula.
Next up for her will be another American in Shelby Rogers, who earlier advanced with a 6-2, 6-4 win against compatriot Madison Brengle.
In other games, eighth seed Petra Martic swept aside unseeded Varvara Gracheva 6-3, 6-3.
Martic will play Yulia Putintseva in the last 16 after the 23rd seed powered past Vera Lapko 6-3, 6-3.