Naomi Osaka Is Back! The Champion Mum Defeats Coco Gauff in US Open Comeback

Naomi Osaka is back, and she’s making it crystal wide she’s present to play astatine the precise apical again. On Monday nighttime successful New York, the 27-year-old four-time Grand Slam champion enactment connected a flawless display, defeating location favourite and 3rd effect Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 successful beforehand of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd.

This was Osaka’s archetypal large quarter-final quality since winning the Australian Open successful 2021 — a milestone that felt adjacent sweeter fixed she lone returned to the circuit this twelvemonth aft giving commencement to her daughter, Shai, successful 2023.

The lucifer itself was a showcase of vintage Osaka: calm, laser-focused, and ruthless with her shots. She broke Gauff’s service successful the precise archetypal crippled and ne'er truly looked back. While Gauff struggled to find her rhythm, tallying 33 unforced errors, Osaka kept her cool, serving consistently and moving astir the tribunal with ease. It was a masterclass, and the New York assemblage knew it.

After the win, an affectional Osaka said: “I’m a small delicate and I don’t privation to cry. Honestly, I conscionable had truthful overmuch amusive retired here. I was successful the stands 2 months aft I gave commencement to my girl watching Coco, I conscionable truly wanted an accidental to travel retired present and play. It’s decidedly truly special. Honestly, I look up to her [Gauff] a lot. I deliberation the mode that she conducts herself, I deliberation it’s truly special. To beryllium specified an astonishing relation exemplary astatine specified a young property is simply a acquisition and it’s a endowment that she has and I person each the respect successful the satellite for her.”

That warmth was felt arsenic she applauded Gauff disconnected the tribunal — a tiny infinitesimal of respect betwixt 2 women who’ve some carried the value of anticipation connected their shoulders.

Gauff, ever poised contempt the loss, vowed: “I americium not going to fto this crush me.”

For Osaka, the triumph marked her biggest triumph by ranking since defeating Ashleigh Barty astatine the China Open successful 2019. And she knows this comeback is thing special.

“This is benignant of uncharted territory astatine this constituent of my career,” she shared. “I’m conscionable enjoying it. I’m having fun. I’m being capable to play against the champion players successful the world. Coco is 1 of the champion players successful the world. I person the astir amusive erstwhile I play against the champion players. I ever spot it arsenic a challenge. I similar challenges. These are the moments that I play tennis for.”

Next, Osaka faces 11th effect Karolina Muchova, who’s caller from a triumph implicit Marta Kostyuk, for a spot successful the semi-finals.

Watch the highlights of the lucifer below