Naomi Osaka Makes Feelings Clear on Coco Gauff After 64-Minute US Open Match

Naomi Osaka is definitely back in the game! The 2018 and 2020 US Open champion had struggled to make it past the early rounds of the Grand Slams this year. But today, she pulled off a shock upset against third seed Coco Gauff. It’s a big leap for the 27-year-old, and her emotions certainly gave it away!

Osaka’s performance was nothing short of dazzling. In just one hour and four minutes, she eliminated World No. 3 and 2023 champion Coco Gauff with a decisive 6-3, 6-2 win at Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was a powerful statement from the two-time Grand Slam champ. But taking down a fellow slam champion is a bigger accomplishment, but she can’t help sharing her thoughts on facing Coco.

“It’s definitely really special, honestly,” Naomi Osaka shared emotionally, “I look up to her a lot. I think the way that she conducts herself—I hope that’s the right word, conduct—yeah, I think it’s really special. I feel like to be such an amazing role model at such a young age is a gift, and it’s a talent that she has. I have all the respect in the world for her, so.”

Their history goes back to 2019, when they met here and delivered a heartfelt moment of sportsmanship that moved everyone watching. At just 19 years old, Osaka dominated in her main-draw debut, cruising past a young 15-year-old Gauff with a commanding straight-sets victory of 6-3, 6-0 in the third round. Today’s encounter felt different, though. Coco Gauff left the court promptly after the match. The crowd gave her one last cheer as she waved goodbye, while Naomi Osaka soaked in the applause during her post-match interview.

The win marked her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in four and a half years, a gap of 1,658 days. At 27, she also cracked the WTA top 20 rankings once again. For Gauff, this was to be her third quarterfinal appearance at the US Open and her fifth in her Grand Slam career. Both players are showing why they’re stars to watch!

However, once again, it was Naomi’s time to shine! She knew exactly what she was getting into when coming into the match. On the other hand, she’s always been respectful towards the young American.

Naomi Osaka reveals her thoughts on Coco ahead of clash

This tournament has marked Osaka’s first GS at the later stages since giving birth, and she didn’t miss a chance to praise Coco Gauff with a heartfelt shoutout. “I’m always really proud of everything that she does. She seems like such a good person,” the former world No. 1 told ESPN. “And just everything that she’s doing and speaking out about so many different topics—it’s something that I would love my kid to look up after her as a role model. I cheer for her every match that she plays.”

Now, Osaka is gearing up to face Gauff again at the US Open, six years after their first showdown. Back then, Gauff was just 15, fresh from her Wimbledon breakthrough, while Osaka was 19. The match ended with a tough 6-3, 6-0 loss for Gauff, who broke down in tears. Osaka comforted her and encouraged her to address the crowd—a moment both still recall fondly.

Looking back, Naomi Osaka says their 2023 rematch will be something special. “Obviously, we had, like, a really special moment here that a lot of people remember. For me, also, she’s like the main star of the US Open. I didn’t play on Ashe yet. So it’s just a combination of all those things.” Plus, she flagged Gauff’s status as a US Open champ after her big 2023 win over Aryna Sabalenka. “Then, also, after I had Shai, I came to the US Open to watch her play [Karolina] Muchova I think. I just feel happy, because I feel like all of my hard work is amounting to something.”

Now, with another win over Coco, Osaka strides into the Grand Slam quarterfinals for the first time this season. It’s been a rocky road—an abdominal injury at the Australian Open, a first-round French Open loss to Paula Badosa, and a Wimbledon exit in the third round against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

But with new coach Tomasz Wiktorowski by her side, things are looking up. Could this be Naomi Osaka’s moment to shine deeper in the majors? Share your thoughts in the comments and catch every update on the Live Blog!