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Naomi Osaka has reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time since winning the Australian Open in 2021
US Open 2025
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September
Coverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website & app
Two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka says beating Coco Gauff to earn her most impressive win since giving birth is one of “the moments” she plays tennis for.
Japan’s Osaka, who gave birth to daughter Shai in 2023, knocked out American third seed Gauff with a 6-3 6-2 win to reach the New York quarter-finals.
Gauff, 21, came into her home Grand Slam clouded by uncertainty in her game and it showed in a subdued performance.
Former world number one Osaka played patiently to draw mistakes out of her opponent, whose forehand was particularly unable to cope with the scrutiny.
Osaka, seeded 23rd, broke into a coy-but-satisfied smile before clapping Gauff, who made a hasty exit, off the court.
Afterwards, Gauff said: “I am not going to let this crush me.”
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Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka’s victory moved her into the last eight of a major for the first time since she won the 2021 Australian Open.
It was also her biggest win by ranking since beating then-world number one Ashleigh Barty at the China Open in 2019.
“Coco is one of the best players in the world. I have the most fun when I play against the best players. I always see it as a challenge. I like challenges,” said Osaka, before adding: “These are the moments that I play tennis for.”
Osaka will face Karolina Muchova in the last eight after the Czech 11th seed beat Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk.
The anticipated meeting of two of the sport’s most prominent figures in New York proved to be a compelling contest.
Ultimately, Osaka, 27, secured a decisive victory, underscoring the progress she has made in recent months.
A more calculated approach to her powerful baseline game paid dividends against Gauff, the 2023 champion.
Osaka’s strategic questioning of the visibly uncertain American, whose forehand faltered under pressure, proved to be a crucial factor in the match, which lasted just over an hour.
In the days leading up to her home Grand Slam, Gauff made a significant change by reshuffling her team in an effort to address her double faults.
Grip specialist Matt Daly was replaced by biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan, who had previously assisted Aryna Sabalenka in overcoming her serving issues.
This bold move heightened scrutiny at an already high-stakes tournament, and the added pressure clearly impacted Gauff.
Throughout the tournament, her frustration was evident, and her unease was apparent from the outset against Osaka.
Gauff has not advanced to a quarter-final in the five tournaments she has participated in since securing her second major title at the French Open in June.
This manifested in her forehand, an area where she has struggled to maintain consistency over the years, while her serve remained relatively solid.
Eleven unforced errors from the forehand contributed to her loss in the first set. A mishit return from that wing also proved pivotal in the second set.
The error created two more break opportunities for Osaka at 3-2, with Gauff’s usually reliable backhand faltering on the first point, highlighting the pressure she was under.
For much of the match, the nearly full 25,000-seat stadium seemed somewhat divided in their support for the two popular players.
Gauff led the home contingent in terms of seeding and popularity, but Osaka, despite representing Japan, was raised in the Queens borough of New York City, where the tournament is held.
Both players have also gained admiration from fans for their eloquent use of their platforms to address social issues, including racism.
Sensing that the younger player needed their support, the crowd attempted to rally Gauff as she faced defeat, but she was unable to recover and exited in the fourth round for the second consecutive year.
“I felt so discombobulated on the court, because I was serving well but not returning well. The last two years, everybody can agree that’s like a weird thought,” said Gauff.
“I think there’s a lot of positives to take from this tournament and I’m trying to be positive.
“I promise you that, I don’t feel that way right now, but I am not going to let this crush me.”
In other matches on Monday, Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek extended her winning streak at Grand Slams to 11 matches with a dominant 6-3 6-1 victory over Russian 13th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.
The Polish second seed secured the win in just 64 minutes in a one-sided contest.
Such was the speed and ease of the victory that Swiatek immediately contacted her coach to arrange a practice session.
“I asked him to book 10 minutes of a practice court if it’s possible,” she said in her on-court interview.
Aiming for a second US Open title and her second Grand Slam of the season, Swiatek has now reached the quarter-finals or better at all four majors in the same season for the first time.
The six-time major winner will face American Amanda Anisimova in the quarter-final, in a repeat of July’s Wimbledon final when Swiatek thrashed the eighth seed 6-0 6-0.
Anisimova brushed aside Brazilian 18th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-0 6-3 in Monday’s evening session.
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