Naomi Osaka vs Greet Minnen Tips, Prediction & Live Stream - Osaka backed for routine first round win

Osaka has fond memories of New York, winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2018 when she conquered Serena Williams, while she doubled down for another title in 2020. However, the former World No. 1 hasn't been beyond the third round in her last three US Open appearances, so she will be hoping to find her best tennis over the next fortnight. It's been a promising summer for Osaka - she made the WTA 1000 final in Montreal, beating lots of top players along the way, so she's got to be feeling confident ahead of the US Open.

This is a very favourable opening round draw. Minnen has only won six tour-level matches all season and has a 6-13 record in Grand Slam first round matches. Osaka also dropped just five games in their only previous meeting, which came on her least-preferred surface of clay. Anything other than a swift win for Osaka here would be a surprise.

Osaka leads 1-0, easing past Minnen 6-4 6-1 in the opening round of Madrid 2024.

It's been a solid year for Osaka - she's registered a 27-12 match record and climbed back into the world's top 30, coming into this tournament at No. 24 and seeded at a slam for the first time since her comeback.

It feels like Osaka has been building towards a big result for a long time now and that moment sort of eventuated at the Canadian Open in Montreal earlier in the summer.

Osaka defeated the likes of Liudmila Samsonova (saving match points), Jelena Ostapenko, Elina Svitolina and Clara Tauson to reach the final, but nerves and the occasion got the better of her as she went down to local teenage wildcard Victoria Mboko.

The Japanese star wisely made the decision to skip Cincinnati, so she's completely fresh and ready to go for the US Open. Osaka made the second round in New York last year, beating Ostapenko before falling to Karolina Muchova.

Minnen has an overall 25-15 record on the season, but only six of those victories have been at tour-level, so it's no surprise to see her down at No. 106 in the rankings.

The Belgian's standout results on tour in 2025 have been a semi-final in Austin and 125K finals in Oeiras and Birmingham.

The 28-year-old is on a three-match losing streak coming into this clash, losing in the opening round of Cincinnati and Cleveland to a pair of Aussies in Maya Joint and Talia Gibson.

Minnen has actually played her best Grand Slam tennis at the US Open - she's gone 5-5 lifetime at the tournament, making the third round twice in 2021 and 2023.