Naomi Osaka put on a faultless performance to book her place in the US Open quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-2 win over the tournament’s third seed and home favourite Coco Gauff on Monday.
Osaka, champion at Flushing Meadows in 2018 and 2020, made the perfect start as she broke Gauff’s serve in the opening game, which left the American on the back foot for much of the first set as she fell 4-2 behind.
There were moments of brilliance during Gauff’s outing, particularly when she landed a backhand winner in the first set, which drew applause from the crowd and Osaka herself, but her opponent proved to be too strong.
Osaka took the opening set at the first point of asking after Gauff made two double faults, and 16 altogether compared to Osaka’s five in the first set.
Osaka broke Gauff in the second set to lead 5-2 and Gauff’s errors continued. Serving to stay in the match, Gauff made a solid start by landing an ace, but Osaka brought up match point in a flash, and booked her place in the quarter-finals after the 2023 US Open champion netted.
It is the first time since the 2021 Australian Open that Osaka has made it through to the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam.
Gauff made a total of 33 unforced errors in the match and hit just eight winners as she fell to defeat in one hour and four minutes.
”I’m a little sensitive and I don’t want to cry. Honestly, I just had so much fun out here,” Osaka said after her victory.
”I was in the stands two months after I gave birth to my daughter watching Coco, I just really wanted an opportunity to come out here and play.
”It’s definitely really special. Honestly, I look up to her [Gauff] a lot. I think the way that she conducts herself, I think it’s really special.
”To be such an amazing role model at such a young age is a gift and it’s a talent that she has and I have all the respect in the world for her.”
Henman: Osaka had clear mindset but Gauff looked confused
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Sky Sports’ Tim Henman said the difference between Gauff and Osaka was their mindset.
”When you talk about someone being in the zone, that’s when you’ve got that really clear mindset and Osaka had that,” Henman said.
”When you think about the other end of the court with Gauff, it just looked like she was so confused out there. It’s so stressful. She’s focusing so much on her serve, as we all are. When you’ve got that type of mindset, it’s very difficult to play your best tennis, especially against a world-class player.”
Sky Sports Marion Bartoli added: ”Osaka was absolutely incredible from the word go. She was so dominating from the back of the court.
”Coco is not playing her best tennis, of course, but I think it’s more fair to emphasise how great Naomi was because for me coming back and putting in this performance on Ashe for the first time in this event was absolutely outstanding.”
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