Anastasia Zakharova: Zakharova’s US Open first-round matchup with Naomi Osaka

Anastasia Zakharova is a Russian tennis player who reached a career-high singles ranking of No. 65 in 2026. She drew attention around the US Open after being listed to face two-time champion Naomi Osaka in the first round, although the available reports do not establish the match result.

Zakharova’s US Open first-round matchup with Naomi Osaka

The reports framed Zakharova’s US Open appearance around a first-round match against Osaka at Arthur Ashe Stadium on August 31. Sports Betting Dime listed Osaka as the No. 13 player and Zakharova as No. 101, while Sports Illustrated described it as Osaka’s opening match of the tournament.

It was a notable draw because the players had never met in a professional match, according to Sports Illustrated. The same report said this was only the second time Zakharova had progressed through US Open qualifying. In her previous appearance, she reached the second round after defeating Elina Avanesyan before losing to Laura Siegemund.

Pre-match assessments strongly favoured Osaka. Sports Betting Dime cited a substantial difference in ranking points, hard-court Elo ratings and service statistics, while Sports Illustrated reported that Osaka had reached the semifinals at the Mubadala DC Open and the quarterfinals at the National Bank Open in her two starts since Wimbledon. Those reports were predictions and betting analysis, not confirmation of the match’s final outcome.

Her rise through the professional ranks

Zakharova’s route to the main tour was gradual. Bolavip’s profile said she built her reputation through the ITF circuit and lower-level WTA events before appearing more regularly in major tournaments.

Her strongest Grand Slam singles result came at the 2024 Australian Open, where she reached the third round. In 2025, she reached her first WTA semifinal. The profile also highlighted wins over Anna Kalinskaya and Dayana Yastremska in 2026, including a three-hour victory against Yastremska in Rome.

The ranking figures show both progress and fluctuation. Zakharova was listed at No. 101 for the week of August 24, 2026, but reached a career-best No. 65 earlier in the same season. Bolavip reported that she began 2026 ranked No. 79, after finishing 2023 at No. 194, 2024 at No. 109 and 2025 at No. 101.

Playing style and background

Zakharova was born on January 18, 2002, in Volgograd, Russia, and was reported as 24 years old. She is listed at 1.70 metres and has developed a style based around aggressive baseline tennis, according to Bolavip.

She began playing tennis at eight and a half years old, which she described as relatively late compared with many professional players. The profile said she enjoyed hitting the ball hard when she first took up the sport and particularly liked facing attacking opponents.

The available reporting identifies the Osaka match and the surrounding pre-match analysis, but it does not provide a confirmed winner or score for the encounter.