Thursday's action at Flushing Meadows brings the second-round matches in the women's bottom half of, two of the biggest title contenders continue they campaign. While the highest seed in this section - Iga Swiatek sets up the clash with Suzan Lamens which appears a formality with the odds of 1.01 suggesting a one-sided affair, the remaining courts promise compelling storylines. The 2023 champion Coco Gauff faces her quite a tricky test against Olympic silver medalist Donna Vekic. Another American - Amanda Anisimova meets teenage sensation Maya Joint in a generational clash, Karolina Muchova looks to build on her dismissal of Venus Williams, and Naomi Osaka continues her fashion-forward comeback against American hope Hailey Baptiste.
Gauff vs. Vekic
Coco Gauff survived a genuine test of character in her opening round, needing 2 hours and 57 minutes to overcome Ajla Tomljanovic 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-5. The 2023 US Open champion is experimenting with a new service technique under biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan, the same specialist who helped Aryna Sabalenka solve her double-fault crisis. The results are mixed - 10 double faults suggest work in progress, yet her fighting spirit shone through when she saved herself from facing the threat of defeat in third set. Gauff's recent form from North American hard courts swing exposes vulnerabilities, but her general 36-12 season record, including 19-7 on hard courts, reflects the winning attitude despite technical adjustments still needed.
Donna Vekic also needed to dig deep in her opener, rallying from a set down to defeat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. The Croatian Olympic silver medalist from Paris showed characteristic resilience after a sluggish start, though her six service breaks conceded raise concerns about consistency. Vekic hasn't won back-to-back matches since reaching the Madrid fourth round, and her 13-20 season record (7-11 on hard) suggests ongoing struggles. The 2024 Wimbledon finalist managed seven breaks against the Spaniard but will need to tighten her own service games significantly.
Their rivalry stands at 1-1, with Gauff winning their most recent meeting at the 2025 United Cup in straight sets. The American should exploit her physical advantages and home crowd support, though the new service motion remains a wildcard. If Gauff finds her rhythm on serve and limits the double faults that plagued her opener, her speed and defensive skills should overwhelm the somewhat sluggish Vekic. The Croatian's Olympic silver medal run feels distant given her current form slump, but despite this year's downfall, it's still the name not to write-off and the rival who can exploit vulnerabilities on the other side of the net.
Anisimova vs. Joint
Amanda Anisimova cruised into the second round with a routine 6-3, 6-2 victory over Kimberly Birrell. The Wimbledon 2025 finalist fired six aces and recorded excellent 86% of first serve points won. For the first time in her career, the American enters a Grand Slam as a top-10 player, her this year's achievements (Wimbledon final, Doha WTA 1000 title) establishing her among the favorites. Her 34-15 season record, confirms her upgrade into aspiring for a top level contender status.
Maya Joint represents one of 2025's breakthrough stories. The 19-year-old Australian defeated Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva 6-4, 7-6(6) in the first round, saving set points and showing ice-cold composure in the tiebreak. Joint has rocketed from world No. 684 at the start of 2024 to her current 43rd, capturing titles in Rabat and Eastbourne. Her aggressive style and youthful fearlessness make her an uncomfortable opponent for anyone. This marks her opportunity for the first win over top-10 player.
Without prior history between them, this match carries an element of unpredictability. Anisimova possesses superior Grand Slam experience and more powerful groundstrokes, but Joint has proven all season she can spring surprises. If the teenager maintains her opening-round concentration and doesn't get overwhelmed by the occasion, she could push Anisimova hard. Experience and firepower should tilt the balance toward the American, who appears to be peaking at the right time, but she has both the high roof of abilities and is able to present the no-show performance from time to time. Hope this match will bring the most out of the super promising young generation players.
Osaka vs. Baptiste
Naomi Osaka began her 25th Grand Slam in spectacular fashion - both sartorially and tennistically. The Japanese star defeated Greet Minnen 6-3, 6-4 while debuting a crystal-encrusted red outfit she'd been designing for years. On court, she was equally dazzling: seven aces, all the 6 breakpoints converted. This represents the two-time US Open champion's best form since reaching the Montreal final. Her partnership with new coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, Iga Swiatek's former mentor, is beginning to bear fruit - Osaka upgraded her season record to respectable 28-13.
Hailey Baptiste earned her passage past Katerina Siniakova 7-5, 6-3, recording her maiden US Open main-draw victory. The American displayed solid baseline tennis, though 29 unforced errors against just 16 winners suggest control issues. Baptiste carries a 26-20 season record, with highlights including Wimbledon's third round and Roland Garros' fourth round. Her counterpunching style could test Osaka's aggressive approach, particularly with home crowd support. Slowly chasing the wide pack of the well-performing Americans, Baptiste is one of the most improved players this year, already granted with the call-up into Billie Jean King Cup squad for the September's finals in Shenzen.
H2H favors Osaka, who leads their head-to-head 2-0, winning both meetings freshly in 2025, but both in three sets (Auckland and Miami). Baptiste pushed hard each time, forcing a deciding set, showing she won't be intimidated. Playing in front of the home crowd provides extra motivation, but Osaka's class and experience should prevail. The Japanese is also one of the best servers this year in terms of power, lethality and efficiency reflected in the % of winning service games - 78% on hard in the ranking period, 4th best in the field.
Muchova vs. Cirstea
Karolina Muchova enters the second round after a 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 victory over Venus Williams that showcased her arsenal in moments which mattered. The Czech semifinalist from 2024 demonstrated the variety that makes her dangerous - precision slices, deft net play, and tactical versatility that allowed her to control the tempo. Particularly impressive was her decisive third set, where she reeled off five consecutive games to close out the 45-year-old legend. Muchova carries a 17-12 season record in another season lingered by injury issues - 14-8 on hard courts, with her best results being semifinals at the Australian Open, Linz, and Dubai.
Sorana Cirstea arrives in New York riding an eight-match winning streak after the extraordinary title run in WTA 250 Cleveland, where the veteran stormed through the field starting from qualifying and won the whole event without dropping a set. The 35-year-old Romanian did not feel too much fatigue after demands of this run, as she dismantled Solana Sierra 7-5, 6-0 in the first round, leveraging her experience and aggressive baseline game. This remarkable late-career surge is very impressive, as the Romanian won 14 out of last 17 matches, which kicked-off with the run into semis in the home tournament in Iasi on clay and continued with a solid run into round of 16 in Cincinnati, followed by the aforementioned title quest in Cleveland.
The head-to-head statistics heavily favor Muchova at 5-1, with Cirstea's lone victory dating back to 2012. The Czech has won all five meetings since 2019, suggesting she has solved the Romanian's power game. The key will be Muchova's tactical variety against Cirstea's raw firepower. If the 2024 semifinalist maintains the level she showed in the third set against Williams, she should navigate past the in-form Romanian despite her current momentum, but the lack of full-time match practice this year does not promise to deliver the best performance on each day despite the well known potential of the Czech.
Alexandrova vs. Wang
Ekaterina Alexandrova confidently dispatched Anastasija Sevastova 6-4, 6-1, controlling proceedings from start to finish. The 13th-seeded Russian arrived in New York following a Monterrey final loss to Diana Shnaider. Her hard-court form remains solid - finals or semifinals in several WTA 500 events, though a breakthrough Grand Slam result remains elusive. Alexandrova wields a powerful forehand and aggressive style that can overwhelm opponents lacking conviction. Her season statistics are respectable and solid if unspectacular for a top-15 player.
Xin Yu Wang fought back from a set down to defeat Caroline Dolehide 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, displaying her trademark fighting spirit and match-turning ability. The 24 years-old Chinese enjoys the great time on court in recent months - starting from being a surprising runner-up in the grass WTA 500 in Berlin and followed with two back-to-back semifinals on hard courts in WTA 250 grade events - Prague and Cleveland. Wang plays solid baseline tennis, extending rallies and waiting for opponents' errors.
This marks their third meeting, with Wang leading 2-1. All matches have gone three sets, suggesting closely-fought battles. The Chinese won their most recent encounter in Wuhan 2024, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. The key will be which player imposes their style - aggressive Alexandrova or patient Wang. The Russian's form and greater Grand Slam experience at this stage provide a slight edge, but Wang has proven she can deliver on tennis's biggest stages.
