Naomi Osaka Defeats Coco Gauff At The U.S. Open

NEW YORK (AP) — Naomi Osaka eliminated Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 on the U.S. Open with a much more assured and constant model of tennis Monday to achieve her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in additional than 4 1/2 years.

The No. 23-seeded Osaka was higher all through than No. 3 Gauff, whose repeated errors actually made the distinction in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Osaka is a 27-year-old who was born in Japan and moved to the U.S. along with her household at age 3. She has received 4 main championships, all on laborious courts. That features titles on the U.S. Open in 2018 and 2020.

Gauff, a 21-year-old from Florida, owns two Slam trophies. The primary got here at Flushing Meadows in 2023 and the second on the French Open this June.

However Gauff got here out jittery at first. Her serve was advantageous; different strokes have been the issue. She completed with 33 unforced errors — far more than Osaka’s 12.

Attempting to transform her serve throughout this match with the assistance of biomechanics professional Gavin MacMillan, Gauff bought damaged proper off the bat and was down 2-0 after simply 5 minutes, dropping eight of the preliminary 9 factors whereas making 5 unforced errors.

Whether or not as a result of it’s what the prematch technique dictated or due to how the start unfolded, Gauff cranked up the speed in her second service recreation. The outcomes have been unimpeachable. She hit 4 first serves in — every arriving no slower than 110 mph, with a excessive of 115 mph — and held at love with a pair of aces and a pair of service winners.

Nonetheless, that is the place the important thing distinction was: Osaka used her large forehand, her finest stroke, to go after Gauff’s forehand, her worst stroke, and it labored wonders. By the tip of the primary set, Gauff had made 16 unforced errors and Osaka solely 5.

Osaka slapped her left thigh between factors and repeatedly instructed herself, “Come on! Come on!”

That optimistic physique language was fairly a distinction to Gauff’s.