Osaka and Andreescu on to quarter-final clash

Ticket holders on Friday can already look forward to an absolutely top affair. Naomi Osaka and Bianca Andreescu, together good for five Grand Slam titles, will then face each other on centre court.

Tournament debutante Osaka proved a size too big for the last Dutch singles player, Suzan Lamens: 6-2 6-2. Former world number four Andreescu in turn also beat sixth-seeded Yuan Yue 6-4 6-4 in a fine performance.

Both Osaka and Andreescu have won the US Open in the past. Osaka did so in 2018 and 2020. Andreescu was the best at the US hardcourts in the intervening 2019.

Besides both lauded champions, second series head Liudmula Samsonova also recorded a win, against Alison van Uytvanck: 6-1 6-3.

Her next opponent is young Swiss wildcard player Celine Naef, who played a long match against qualifier Elisabeth Mandlik: 7-6(4) 1-6 6-4. Last year, Naef caused a furore by outsmarting Venus Williams in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.