Osaka ousts Ostapenko to reach Canada Open 4th round, Gauff sails as Zverev survives Arnaldi scare

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka advanced to the fourth round of the WTA Canadian Open on Friday by dominating 22nd-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-2, 6-4.

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Osaka is one match away from making her first quarterfinal run at a Grand Slam or WTA 1000 event since she returned from maternity leave at the start of 2024.

World number 49 Osaka broke on a double fault to capture the first set in 30 minutes.

In the second set, Ostapenko netted a forehand to hand Osaka a break for a 3-1 lead but rallied and broke back in the next game on a forehand crosscourt winner.

Osaka broke again for a 4-2 lead when Ostapenko netted a forehand and Osaka served for the match leading 5-3, but Ostapenko saved a match point on a forehand crosscourt winner and broke when Osaka sent a forehand beyond the baseline.

The Japanese star responded by breaking Ostapenko at love in the final game, the Latvian netting a backhand to conclude matters after 72 minutes.

Osaka improved to 3-0 lifetime against the Latvian, having also beaten her at the 2016 French Open and last year’s US Open in the first round without dropping a set.

Also advancing was Danish 16th seed Clara Tauson, who dispatched Ukraine's Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-3, 6-0.

World number two Coco Gauff battled through another tough three-setter, rallying from a set and a break down to beat Veronika Kudermetova and reach the fourth round.