Naomi Osaka apologises after tense US Open victory

Naomi Osaka admitted she was ‘negative on myself’ during a tense US Open third-round victory over Elise Mertens and apologised for her behaviour on court.

The 13th-seeded Japanese made an impressive start against Mertens, winning the opening set 6-3 before taking an early break in the second to move 2-1 ahead.

However, Osaka was unable to consolidate her advantage after missing three game points in the fourth game, allowing the Belgian to claim her first break of the match.

The setback triggered a difficult spell for the four-time Grand Slam champion, who became increasingly frustrated and began making unforced errors.

Osaka also berated herself and threw her racket as Mertens capitalised on the Japanese player's loss of composure to take the second set and establish a 4-2 lead in the decider.

After serving out the seventh game, Osaka called for a medical timeout for what appeared to be a leg issue.

She returned to action and fought back strongly, breaking Mertens in the eighth and 12th games to complete a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 victory.

Reflecting on her conduct, Osaka apologised, particularly to younger spectators.

“Honestly, I didn't feel like I played amazing, and it was really getting me down, like I was very negative on myself, so I'm really sorry about my behavior. For the little kids watching, I'm really sorry,” Osaka said afterward.

“This is my favorite tournament so I really wanted to play well in front of you guys. I'm really glad that I have an opportunity to play another match,” Osaka added

Osaka will face world number two seed Elena Rybakina in the fourth round.