NEW YORK — Naomi Osaka smacked a forehand winner into the open court, bringing Colin Kaepernick and Kobe Bryant to their feet in applause.
Osaka has power in her strokes and star power in her corner.
The defending U.S. Open champion moved into the third round Thursday with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Magda Linette, setting up a possible third-round showdown with Coco Gauff.
With Kaepernick and Bryant sitting with her team just a few rows off the Louis Armstrong Stadium court, Osaka did her part and waited to see if the 15-year-old Gauff would win her match later that night.