Coco Gauff vs. Naomi Osaka: A US Open Clash of Power, Nerves, and Redemption
The US Open is serving up a blockbuster showdown on Monday: Coco Gauff vs. Naomi Osaka. Two former champions, two global superstars, and one massive fourth-round battle that feels less like just another match — and more like a statement of who truly belongs at the top in 2025.
Both players booked their spots in the last 16 in very different ways. Gauff breezed past Poland’s Magdalena Frech 6-3, 6-1, barely breaking a sweat, while Osaka had to grind through a three-set rollercoaster against Daria Kasatkina, winning 6-0, 4-6, 6-3. For Osaka, this moment is especially sweet — it’s her first time back in the second week of a Slam since the Australian Open title she won back in 2021.
Their Rivalry: From a Teen’s Tears to Today’s Firepower
This will be their sixth career meeting, but their history goes all the way back to the 2019 US Open. That night is etched in tennis memory: a 15-year-old Coco Gauff overwhelmed by Osaka’s power, breaking down in tears after a 6-3, 6-0 defeat. But Gauff showed the world her character when she bravely joined Osaka for the post-match interview — a moment that went viral for its raw humanity.
Since then, their paths have crisscrossed. Gauff avenged that loss in Australia in 2020. They’ve traded wins since, and their most recent clash in Beijing last year ended prematurely when Osaka retired injured at one set all. Overall, Osaka leads 3–2, but the margin couldn’t feel thinner.
What Gauff Needs to Do
For Coco, the formula is simple on paper but tricky in practice: she has to serve well. That’s been her Achilles’ heel. Since 2023, no player has piled up more double faults than her, closing in on a staggering 1,000. While she’s been working with Gavin MacMillan (the same coach who fixed Aryna Sabalenka’s serve), her delivery is still a work in progress.
Against Osaka, second serves won’t cut it. The Japanese star is one of the most aggressive returners in the game, and any short ball will be punished. Still, Gauff has proven she doesn’t need perfection to win. Just like at the French Open, she can scrap, fight, and claw her way through tough patches. Her heart and resilience remain her greatest weapons.
What Osaka Needs to Do
If Gauff’s weapon is grit, Osaka’s is precision. She’s been returning brilliantly this tournament — making 83% of returns, and winning a brutal 73% of points on second serves. If Gauff gives her too many looks at second serves, Osaka will feast.
What’s more, Osaka’s movement is sharper than it’s been in years. She’s striking the ball cleanly, dictating with her forehand and backhand, and thriving in those short rallies where she dominates from the very first shot. When she’s playing “first-strike tennis,” she’s almost unstoppable.
Mutual Respect, Six Years in the Making
Despite the intensity of their rivalry, there’s genuine warmth between the two. Gauff admitted she crumbled under the hype in 2019, saying she felt “more expectation than belief” at the time. Today, she sees it as a chance at redemption.
Osaka, meanwhile, joked about needing fans to cheer for her against the American crowd. She called Gauff “like a little sister” and said playing her again feels “special.” For Osaka, now a mother and a two-time US Open champion, this is more than just a match — it’s a full-circle moment.
The Verdict
So, who wins? Honestly, it feels like a toss-up. Gauff has the home crowd, the momentum, and the grit. Osaka has the pedigree, the confidence from her Canadian Open final run, and the aura of a four-time Slam champion rediscovering her groove.
History offers one clue: in all but one of their past five matches, whoever won the first set went on to win the match. That means the opening exchanges will be everything.
Prediction? Expect fireworks, long rallies, and plenty of drama. And in the end, it just might be Osaka, in three grueling sets, who edges past Gauff to re-stake her claim at the top of tennis.
