The Australian Open 2026 is heating up, and Naomi Osaka’s on-court behavior has sparked a fiery debate that’s dividing tennis fans and legends alike. After a heated exchange with Sorana Cirstea during their second-round match, Osaka’s habit of vocalizing 'come on' between her opponent’s serves has drawn sharp criticism. But here’s where it gets controversial: while Osaka insists it’s a self-motivating tactic, Cirstea accused her of disrupting her rhythm, leaving fans and experts split on whether it’s a harmless habit or a breach of tennis etiquette. Is Osaka crossing a line, or is this much ado about nothing? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Tennis icons Martina Navratilova and Lindsay Davenport weighed in on the drama, suggesting Osaka might want to tone it down. Navratilova, a 59-time major winner, pointed out that while Osaka’s post-match frustration was understandable, verbalizing between serves is a no-go. 'You can say 'come on' all you want, but keep it inside,' she advised, adding that Osaka likely didn’t realize the impact of her actions. Davenport, the 2000 Australian Open champion, echoed the sentiment, calling it 'basic tennis etiquette 101' and predicting Osaka would drop the habit moving forward. And this is the part most people miss: Osaka’s behavior wasn’t flagged in her opening match, raising questions about consistency in enforcing unwritten rules.
As day six of the tournament kicks off, the focus shifts to the third-round singles matches, with top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz taking center stage on Rod Laver Arena. Australia’s own Alex de Minaur will face Frances Tiafoe tonight, carrying the nation’s hopes as the last Aussie standing in the singles draw. Here’s the full order of play for today (all times AEDT):
Rod Laver Arena
- Aryna Sabalenka (1) vs Anastasia Potapova, 11:30am
- Carlos Alcaraz (1) vs Corentin Moutet (32), not before 1:30pm
- Alex de Minaur (6) vs Frances Tiafoe (29), 7pm
- Mirra Andreeva (8) vs Elena-Gabriela Ruse
Margaret Court Arena
- Daniil Medvedev (11) vs Fabian Marozsan, 11:30am
- Coco Gauff (3) vs Hailey Baptiste, not before 2pm
- Elina Svitolina (12) vs Diana Shnaider (23), 7pm
- Alexander Bublik (10) vs Tomas Etcheverry
John Cain Arena
- Clara Tauson (14) vs Victoria Mboko (17), 11am
- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (14) vs Tommy Paul (19)
- Jasmine Paolini (7) vs Iva Jovic (29), 5pm
- Alexander Zverev (3) vs Cameron Norrie (26), not before 6:30pm
Kia Arena
- Learner Tien (25) vs Nuno Borges, 11am
- Yulia Putintseva vs Zeynep Sonmez (Q)
- Karolina Muchova (19) vs Magda Linette
- Andrey Rublev (13) vs Francisco Cerundolo (18)
With only 32 players remaining in both the men’s and women’s singles draws, the stakes are higher than ever. Will Osaka’s controversy distract her in her match against Maddison Inglis? Can de Minaur keep Australia’s hopes alive? Follow our live blog for all the action from Melbourne Park, and don’t forget to join the debate: Should players be allowed to vocalize between serves, or is it a clear violation of sportsmanship? Your take could be the game-changer!
