Thu | Oct 23, 2025

Naomi Osaka defeats Coco Gauff at the US Open to reach her first major quarterfinal since 2021

Published:Monday | September 1, 2025 | 5:22 PM
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, celebrates after winning a match against Coco Gauff, of the United States, during the fourth round of the US Open tennis championships, Monday, September 1, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, celebrates after winning a match against Coco Gauff, of the United States, during the fourth round of the US Open tennis championships, Monday, September 1, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

NEW YORK (AP) — In the biggest statement yet that she is back at the height of her game, and a real contender for the sport's highest honours, Naomi Osaka eliminated Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 in Arthur Ashe Stadium at the US Open to reach her first major quarterfinal in more than 4 1/2 years.

Osaka smiled before her showdown against Gauff began Monday — and after it ended. Between points, Osaka patted her left thigh and quietly told herself, almost in a whisper: "Come on. Come on."

Once the ball was in play, Osaka's strokes were loud and on-target, producing the sort of confident, consistent and power-swinging tennis that carried her to four Grand Slam titles and the No. 1 ranking.

"I was super locked-in, to be honest. I was really locked in," said Osaka, a 27-year-old who was born in Japan and moved to the US with her family at age 3. "I felt like everyone wanted to watch a really great match, and I hope that's what you got."

From her side, it certainly was.

The No. 23-seeded Osaka was better throughout than No. 3 Gauff, whose repeated mistakes during a tournament that's been a near-constant struggle for her really made the difference. And Gauff's body language was quite a contrast to Osaka's. Gauff repeatedly would put her palms up or cover her face with a hand or gesture toward her team in the stands, looking confused or upset.

On Wednesday, Osaka will face No. 11 Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic for a berth in the semifinals. Muchova, the 2023 French Open runner-up and a semifinalist in New York the past two years, advanced with a 6-3, 6-7 (0), 6-3 victory No. 27 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine.

It was Muchova who got past 45-year-old Venus Williams in three sets in the first round of this US Open.

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