US Open: Naomi Osaka gets her first top-10 win in more than four years by defeating Ostapenko

NEW YORK (AP) — A year ago, still on maternity leave and still unsure when she would play elite tennis again, Naomi Osaka visited the U.S. Open to appear with Michael Phelps for a discussion about mental health. While at the site, she sat in the stands to watch one of Coco Gauff's matches.

Osaka also already was thinking about being back on a court at Flushing Meadows, so much so that she was pondering what she might want to wear to compete. And there she was Tuesday at Louis Armstrong Stadium, overpowering No. 10 seed Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 6-2 while decked out, from her visor to her dress to the bows on her back and attached to her shoes, in lime green — the color of this “ Brat ” summer, as it happens (IYKYK) — and playing very much like a two-time champion at the place and a former No. 1-ranked star.

“I feel like being able to be a part of (designing) my tennis outfits gives me, I would say, a different strength, especially the U.S. Open outfits. I feel like they are a little bit more flamboyant. When I was putting on my outfit today, I was, like, ‘Ah, I hope this isn’t too much,’" Osaka said with a smile. “Because I had the tutu, and then I had the bow jacket and it was green. I feel like everyone was staring at me.”

Another player asked for a photo, Osaka said, adding: “I hope it was a positive picture (and) it wasn’t, like, ‘Oh, my God, look at her.’ For me, when I put on the outfit, it’s almost like a super suit, so I try to channel that.”

Did that well enough Tuesday to register her first victory against a top-10 opponent in more than four years.

Osaka claimed titles in New York in 2018 and 2020, along with a pair of trophies at the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021, and her matchup against 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko marked the first time two past major champs faced off in the opening round at the U.S. Open since Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova five years ago. Another such contest came Tuesday night, when 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin beat 2021 U.S. Open winner Emma Raducanu 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.

“Having two wins here means a lot, and I think for me, I’ve been struggling with confidence throughout the year,” said Osaka, who returned to action at the Australian Open in January, her first Grand Slam appearance in nearly 1 1/2 years because of mental health breaks and time away to have a baby. “This time now forces me to look in the mirror and say, ‘Hey, you’ve done really well here. There’s no reason why you can’t do well again.'”

How's this for doing well? Osaka did not make a single unforced error in the first set and finished with only five, 16 fewer than Ostapenko.

“I do remember thinking, ‘I need to win this match so I can wear my other color.’ That was very important to me,” said Osaka, who is ranked 88th and received a wild-card invitation from the U.S. Tennis Association. “I guess you’ll see my other color next time.”

Next time will be Thursday against 2023 French Open runner-up Karolina Muchova, a 6-3, 7-5 winner against Katie Volynets of the U.S.

Other women moving into the second round included No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who got past Kamilla Rakhimova 6-4, 7-6 (6) by taking the last five points after needing to erase a trio of set points because she trailed 6-3 in the tiebreaker, and past major champions Elena Rybakina and Caroline Wozniacki. No. 5 Jasmine Paolini, a finalist at the French Open and Wimbledon this year, beat 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4, while No. 11 Danielle Collins' Grand Slam singles career ended with a 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 loss to Caroline Dolehide in an all-American matchup. The 30-year-old Collins is retiring after this season.

Another American who recently announced her retirement, Shelby Rogers, lost the final match of her career by a 6-4, 6-3 score to No. 6 Jessica Pegula at night, after four-time major champion Carlos Alcaraz defeated qualifier Li Tu 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Pegula meets Kenin next.

Earlier in Ashe, No. 1 Jannik Sinner played his first match since news came out that he was cleared in a doping case involving two failed tests in March, and while he got off to a slow start, the 23-year-old Italian quickly bounced back to eliminate Mackie McDonald 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2.

Other seeded men advancing included No. 5 Daniil Medvedev, No. 7 Hubert Hurkacz and No. 25 Jack Draper, but No. 11 Stefanos Tsitsipas and No. 19 Felix Auger-Aliassime both lost, as did No. 23 Karen Khachanov, who came out on the wrong end of the longest U.S. Open match, by time, since tiebreakers were instituted in 1970.

Dan Evans snuck past Khachanov 6-7 (6), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-4 across 5 hours, 35 minutes. The final set, in which Evans trailed 4-0, took 61 minutes itself — and was the shortest set they played.

“When you’re a kid, you’re just told to fight until the end. I mean, that’s sort of Rule 1. I’ve done that pretty consistently for my career,” Evans said. “It sort of paid off a bit today.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Li Tu, of Australia, motions to the crowd during a match against Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, reacts during a match against Li Tu, of Australia, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, returns a shot to Jakub Mensik, of the Czech Republic, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Jakub Mensik, of the Czech Republic, returns a shot to Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Stefanos Tsitsipas, of Greece, reacts after scoring a point against Thanasi Kokkinakis, of Australia,during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Naomi Osaka, of Japan, prepares to play against Jelena Ostapenko, of Latvia, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Naomi Osaka, of Japan, walks on the court before playing against Jelena Ostapenko, of Latvia, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Naomi Osaka, of Japan, serves to Jelena Ostapenko, of Latvia, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Jannik Sinner, of Italy, returns a shot to Mackenzie McDonald, of the United States, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

Iga Swiatek, of Poland, waves to fans after defeating Kamilla Rakhimova, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Naomi Osaka, of Japan, right, shakes hands with Jelena Ostapenko, of Latvia, after winning their first round match of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Naomi Osaka, of Japan, warms up before playing against Jelena Ostapenko, of Latvia, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Naomi Osaka, of Japan, waves to spectators after defeating Jelena Ostapenko, of Latvia, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Caroline Dolehide, of the United States, returns a shot to Danielle Collins, of the United States, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Danielle Collins, of the United States, reacts in the first set against Caroline Dolehide, of the United States, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Kamilla Rakhimova, returns a shot to Iga Swiatek, of Poland, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Iga Swiatek, of Poland, waves to fans after defeating Kamilla Rakhimova, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Naomi Osaka, of Japan, reacts after defeating Jelena Ostapenko, of Latvia, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Miami Beach residents and visitors can feel it coming in the air tonight — and the rest of the weekend — as “Miami Vice” cast and crew gather to celebrate the iconic television series' 40th anniversary.

The show premiered on NBC on Sept. 16, 1984, and ran for five seasons. The “cocaine cowboy”-era crime drama, featuring Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as undercover cops, was revolutionary in its use of pop culture, style and music and spawned a film reboot in 2006. And by filming the show primarily in South Florida, the series helped transform the image of Miami and Miami Beach in a way that would reverberate for decades.

Former cast members, including Edward James Olmos and Michael Madsen, met with fans Friday at the Royal Palm South Beach and were set to return Saturday. Also attending were Saundra Santiago, Olivia Brown, Bruce McGill, Joaquim De Almeida, Bill Smitrovich, Pepe Serna and Ismael East Carlo.

“It was not ‘Hill Street Blues.’ It was not ‘Police Story,’ ” Olmos said on Friday. “It was way different in artistic endeavor on all levels. The creativity, as far as music, writing, production value. The production value was so overwhelming. We spared nothing. I mean, these people were serious, and they spent a lot of time and money for each episode, and it shows.”

Olmos said that the show had a profound effect on introducing Miami to the world and creating an idealized version of South Beach that would later become a reality.

“When we were here, when we started the show in 1984, there was no South Beach,” Olmos said. “There was a South Beach, but it was dilapidated. The buildings were all literally falling into disrepair.”

Years before serious restoration efforts would transform South Beach into a center of fashion, music and tourism, Olmos said productions crews were painting the exteriors of the neighborhood's historic Art Deco buildings themselves to make them look good on camera.

“We would paint the facades and put out tables, and we did what now became the reality of South Beach,” Olmos said.

While most television production was still being done in Los Angeles or New York in the 1980s, Olmos doubts the show would have been as successful if they had tried to fake South Florida in California.

“They could have never shot this anywhere else in the world,” Olmos said. “Look at the show from the very first episode, and as it went on, the beauty of Miami is unprecedented.”

Premiering just a few years after the launch of MTV, “Miami Vice” embraced contemporary style and music. Besides Jan Hammer's original scoring, the producers regularly included songs from popular artists like Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Dire Straits and Foreigner.

Fred Lyle, an associate producer and music coordinator for “Miami Vice,” said the importance of music was evident from the first episode, as “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins plays while Johnson and Thomas cruise the streets of Miami in their Ferrari convertible.

“And that’s when ‘Miami Vice’ became different musically than anything else,” Lyle said. “Music was going over this scene, that scene. One song was helping to stitch the fabric of the narrative together.”

Aside from the show's style, the stories and characters also had substance. Veteran television actor Bruce McGill has played countless cops, coaches and other authority figures over several decades, but he said his guest role as a burnt-out former detective in the second season of “Miami Vice” stands out compared to the straight-laced characters that comprise most of his career.

“It was a very good part that they allowed me to make better, to enhance, to ham it up a little,” McGill said. “And it was very satisfying.”

"Miami Vice" fan Matt Lechliter, 39, traveled all the way to Miami Beach from Oxnard, California, to celebrate the show's anniversary.

“I wasn't alive when it premiered, but it's a part of me,” Lechliter said.

Lechliter said he remembers watching the later seasons and reruns with his parents as a child but really became a fan when he rediscovered the show about five years ago.

“I binge-watched it," Lechliter said. “I was like, ‘Wow, this really is amazing.’ When I heard about this event, I said, ‘I’ve gotta go.' ”

The anniversary celebration will continue through the weekend with career discussions, as well as bus and walking tours of filming locations.

The Miami Vice Museum is open to the public from Friday to Sunday, featuring a wide range of items never before displayed together since the show’s conclusion in 1989. The exhibit is being hosted at the Wilzig Erotic Art Museum.

And to kick off the celebration on Thursday, Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner met with cast and crew at the Avalon Hotel in South Beach to present a proclamation declaring Sept. 16, 2024, as “Miami Vice Day.”

Fans gathered at the Royal Palm South Beach in Miami Beach, Fla., on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the television series "Miami Vice." Actor Bruce McGill, who guest-starred as retired detective Hank Weldon in the show's second season, signs a model Ferrari for a fan. (AP Photo/David Fischer)

Fans gathered at the Royal Palm South Beach in Miami Beach, Fla., on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the television series "Miami Vice." Actress Olivia Brown, right, who played Detective Trudy Joplin, speaks with a fan. (AP Photo/David Fischer)

Fans gathered at the Royal Palm South Beach in Miami Beach, Fla., on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the television series "Miami Vice." (AP Photo/David Fischer)

Fans gathered at the Royal Palm South Beach in Miami Beach, Fla., on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the television series "Miami Vice." Actor Edward James Olmos, who played Lt. Martin Castillo, takes a photo with a fan. (AP Photo/David Fischer)