NEW YORK — Naomi Osaka, Alex Eala and Iga Swiatek are on the schedule Thursday at the U.S. Open, with Coco Gauff headlining the action at night. Doubles play also began Thursday, though Serena and Venus Williams are not on the schedule. They could play their first-round match Friday against Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint, who beat Serena in singles play at Wimbledon this summer. Osaka, the two-time U.S. Open champion, started the action on Arthur Ashe Stadium against Katerina Siniakova. Osaka wore white and silver under her long white jacket with a white visor for her day match, after she was dressed in black with her hair done in cornrows under a headband in a tribute to former NBA superstar Allen Iverson for her opener at night. Eala was also scheduled for day action after the No. 17 seed from the Philippines started at night, as was Swiatek, the 2022 U.S. Open champion. Gauff, who won her first major title at Flushing Meadows in 2023, faces Paula Badosa in a night match that will be followed by No. 1 Alexander Zverev, who hopes for an easier time against Quentin Halys after he needed five sets to edge Lorenzo Sonego on Tuesday, barely avoiding becoming the first No. 1 seed to lose in the first round of a men’s major since 2003. Badosa will be playing for the second straight day, forced to finish her first-round match Wednesday after play was suspended Tuesday because of rain that hampered the tournament for multiple days. The sun was out again Thursday when play began. Other men in action include No. 3 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, No. 9 Taylor Fritz and Gael Monfils, who is planning to retire after this year but won Tuesday on his 40th birthday to prolong his Grand Slam career and advance to face No. 14 Learner Tien. ___ Brian Mahoney, The Associated Press
