Naomi Osaka Brings Style and Steel to French Open Third Round
Naomi Osaka defeated Donna Vekic in straight sets to reach the French Open third round.
PARIS | Naomi Osaka moved into the French Open third round Thursday, beating Donna Vekic 7-6(1), 6-4 in a match that paired pressure tennis with the style attention that has followed Osaka through Roland Garros.
Reuters reported that Osaka, a former world No. 1, tamed Vekic with a composed performance on clay. The first set went to a tiebreak, where Osaka took control, then she carried enough momentum through the second set to close out the match in straight sets.
The result matters because clay has not always been Osaka’s easiest surface. Her career has been defined more by hard-court dominance, major titles and a powerful baseline game. Winning tight matches in Paris helps reset the conversation around what she can still do at Roland Garros.
Osaka’s fashion has also been part of her French Open story this week. Reuters reported earlier in the tournament on her high-profile court look, and Thursday’s win gave the tennis substance behind the visual attention. For star players, image and performance are often linked, but the performance still has to carry the day.
The French Open field remains demanding, and a third-round place does not guarantee a deep run. But Osaka’s win over Vekic shows she can manage tension, control big points and handle the clay-court grind when the match tightens.
For tennis fans, the next question is whether Osaka can turn a strong early-week performance into a second-week push. For the sport, her presence deep in a major adds star power, global interest and a broader audience beyond the usual clay-court specialists.
What this means
Osaka’s win matters because it gives her French Open campaign credibility beyond the spotlight around her style. The next round will show whether she can build a deeper run on clay.