Osaka

Naomi Osaka smiled before her US Open showdown against Coco Gauff began on Labor Day (Sept. 1) — and after it ended. Between points, Osaka patted her left thigh and quietly told herself, almost in a whisper: “Come on. Come on.” Ultimately, that encouragement led her to reach her first major quarterfinal in over four and a half years. 

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What Naomi Osaka Said After Winning Against Coco Gauff

Once the ball was in play, Osaka’s strokes were loud and on-target. According to the Associated Press, the tennis champ had the confident, consistent, and power-swinging tennis that carried her to four Grand Slam titles and the No. 1 ranking. Monday’s game was Naomi’s biggest statement yet that she is back on top of her game. She’s previously taken time for her mental health and new motherhood.  In the Labor Day US Open match, Naomi Osaka eliminated Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 in Arthur Ashe Stadium. 

“I was super locked-in, to be honest. I was really locked in,” Naomi Osaka said. “I felt like everyone wanted to watch a really great match, and I hope that’s what you got.”

Details About Each Player’s Game Energy

According to the AP, Naomi Osaka brought her A-game in Monday’s match, while Coco Gauff was on B-game. Coco, for example, made repeated mistakes on the court that cost her. She finished with 33 unforced errors — way more than Naomi Osaka’s 12.

Additionally, her body language was reportedly different from Osaka’s. Coco Gauff came out jittery at the start. Her problematic serve was fine; other strokes were the problem. Also, Gauff repeatedly put her palms up, covered her face with a hand, or gestured toward her team in the stands. At points, she looked confused or upset.

Meanwhile, Osaka’s serving and returning were terrific. She won 32 of the 38 points she served — 15 of 16 when first serves landed in. She also never faced a single break point and converted all four break chances she earned.

Ultimately, AP writes that the key difference between the tennis players is that Naomi Osaka used her big forehand, her best stroke, to go after Coco Gauff’s forehand, her worst stroke. The strategy clearly paid off. By the end of the first set, Coco Gauff had made 16 unforced errors and Osaka only five. By the end of the match, 20 of Gauff’s unforced errors were off the forehand side.

Naomi Has Won Against Coco Before

It was at the French Open in 2021, after the Australian Open, that Naomi Osaka helped spark a global conversation about mental health. At the time, she revealed she felt anxiety and depression and took a series of breaks from the tour.

Before winning against Coco, Naomi’s most recent trophy at Melbourne Park was the last time she had made it to the fourth round at any major in recent years. The first came at Flushing Meadows in 2023, and the second at the French Open this June. Osaka returned to the tour last season after a 17-month maternity leave. Her child, Shai, was born in July 2023.

“I’m a little sensitive, and I don’t want to cry, but, honestly, I just had so much fun out here,” said Osaka.

Naomi Osaka first played Coco Gauff back at the 2019 US Open and won that one, too.“I was in the stands like two months after I gave birth to my daughter, watching Coco. I just really wanted an opportunity to come out here and play,” Osaka told the crowd on Monday. “This is my favorite court in the world, and it means so much for me to be back here.

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Associated Press tennis writer Howard Fendrich contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.