The best moments in tennis can sometimes be found even in defeat. A similar scenario unfolded for Japanese star Naomi Osaka, who, despite an early exit from the 2025 US Open mixed doubles, thoroughly enjoyed sharing the court with partner Gaël Monfils.
Osaka’s impact extends beyond the court, with fans noting her blunt social media reactions, as seen following her early departure at Flushing Meadows.
How Did Naomi Osaka Find the Experience of Sharing the Court With Gaël Monfils at the US Open?
The US Open Fan Week returned to Flushing Meadows on August 18, bringing extra excitement as the mixed doubles event, held from Tuesday, August 19, to Wednesday, August 20, coincided with it for the first time. The draw featured several top stars, including Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Świątek, Novak Djokovic, Jessica Pegula and Naomi Osaka, who was set to team up with French veteran Monfils.
However, the journey proved challenging from the outset, as the duo faced formidable opponents in Lorenzo Musetti and home favorite Caty McNally in the first round. The match began with a hard-fought first set, which Musetti and McNally eventually claimed 5-3. Things grew even tougher for Osaka and Monfils as they fell behind 2-4 in the second set.
The duo’s US Open mixed doubles campaign may have been brief, but both clearly enjoyed the experience. This showed especially with Osaka, who recently shared an Instagram post featuring photos from their match, accompanied by a heartfelt message for her French partner.
“My 🐐. Thank you @iamgaelmonfils for playing with me it’s such an honor 😭🙏🏾 see you in a few days NY ❤️,” she said.
What followed revealed something Osaka had long anticipated with excitement. Teaming up with Monfils had been a dream on her bucket list, one she was thrilled to finally accomplish. She shared this on her Instagram story:
“Played with my goat. Happy I can cross this off the bucket list.”
As her mixed doubles experience concludes, Osaka turns her attention to the US Open singles. Her recent form indicates she could mount a strong comeback.
What Has Naomi Osaka’s Lead-Up to the US Open Looked Like So Far?
The North American hard-court swing offered Osaka a chance to display the promise she showed early in her career. However, the Japanese star’s campaign got off to a rocky start, as she bowed out in the second round of the Mubadala Citi DC Open, falling 4-6, 2-6 to Emma Raducanu.
MORE: Naomi Osaka Shows Sign of Tennis Return, Days After Montreal Controversy and Cincinnati Cancelation
But that setback didn’t dampen her determination. She bounced back at the 2025 Canadian Open, advancing to the final.
Notably, Osaka’s commanding run in Toronto came despite a stretch of underwhelming performances, marking her first tour-level final since Miami 2022. She began strongly against home favorite Victoria Mboko, taking the first set 6-2, but couldn’t maintain the momentum, dropping the second 4-6 and the third 1-6.
Although Osaka fell just short of the title, her run in Montreal provided a significant confidence boost heading into the US Open. She also climbed up to the 25th spot in the WTA rankings, ensuring she would enter the US Open as a seeded player.