Naomi Osaka battled past Elise Mertens in a tense third-round clash at the US Open, staging a stellar comeback to stave off a major upset. Although Osaka won praise for her impressive victory, the match also earned backlash for its coverage, with tennis fans and journalists voicing their frustration over the broadcast.
Why Naomi Osaka’s Third-Round Win at the US Open Sparked Controversy
Osaka was left “shocked” after she managed to pull off a gritty 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 victory over Mertens in two hours and 38 minutes. The former world No. 1 was forced to dig deep after falling a break behind in the decider, fighting back to overcome the deficit despite needing a medical timeout to receive treatment on her leg.
However, viewers at home found it very difficult to enjoy the thrilling battle, as tennis journalist Christian’s Court and several fans criticized ESPN for prioritizing the broadcast of Alexandra Eala and Iva Jovic’s battle while “ignoring” Osaka’s match.
“ESPN2’s coverage is completely ignoring Osaka-Mertens 😭 ESPN Unlimited is truly a necessity during the Open,” Christian’s Court posted.
“How does @espn completely ignore #osaka match tonight at USOpen? Not even showing split screen. I’d rather watch Naomi than match they are showing. Who made that decision? Blame the @usta too. Blatant disrespect to her and tennis fans,” a user commented.
“You wouldn’t know it since @espn simply refuses to take the camera off of this Eala match, but Naomi Osaka is a 2x Champion here. There’s a teeny tiny chance people may have wanted to watch some points from her match. Just maybe,” a fan wrote.
The backlash did not stop there. Journalist Myles David called out recent Hall of Fame inductee Mary Carillo over her commentary during the match, while a fan voiced frustration over the perceived disrespect toward the four-time Grand Slam champion.
“Mary Carillo is certainly not getting rave reviews for her commentary during that Naomi Osaka match 😬,” David posted.
“Bruh these commentators for the Osaka vs Mertens game are not fans of Naomi at all. Which is okay but Al least show some respect. They are tearing her apart! Like you pick a racket and let’s not see you “pout”. #USOpen #Tennis #USOpenTennis,” a fan said.
Several fans also did not take kindly to a commentator speculating about Osaka dealing with a “mental health issue,” deeming the remark to be inappropriate and unprofessional.
“@espn and @usopen not cool at all when the broadcaster assumes Naomi Osaka is having a “mental health issue” simply based on how she is playing. Honestly, I just muted the TV because both commentators would rather express their opinions then give at least one stat,” a fan wrote.
“@usopen super unprofessional to have to the broadcaster assume Naomi Osaka is having a “mental health issue” just because she’s not playing well. How about he does HIS job???” said another.
MORE: ‘I’m Really Sorry’ – Naomi Osaka Apologizes for ‘Negative’ Behavior After Surviving US Open Scare
Naomi Osaka will now turn her attention to her highly anticipated fourth-round encounter against Elena Rybakina at the US Open. Osaka will be angling for revenge after Rybakina triumphed 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in their Canadian Open meeting in August.
