US Open: Naomi Osaka stuns Coco Gauff, returns to Grand Slam quarters after 1658 days

Two-time champion Naomi Osaka produced a dazzling performance on Monday, eliminating World No. 3 and 2023 champion Coco Gauff from the US Open 2025. The Japanese star needed just an hour and four minutes to dispatch the third seed 6-3, 6-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The victory marked Osaka’s return to a Grand Slam quarterfinal after four and a half years — a gap of 1,658 days. With her win, the 27-year-old Osaka also reclaimed her spot in the top 20 of the WTA rankings. This marked Gauff’s third quarterfinal appearance at the US Open and the fifth of her career at Grand Slam events overall.

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Seizing control of the match from the outset, Osaka displayed flashes of her vintage brilliance, while Gauff, the 2023 champion, struggled with both her serve and forehand. The two fan favourites were meeting in New York for the first time since their memorable 2019 encounter, when Osaka got the better of a then 15-year-old Gauff.

After the match, Osaka recalled watching Coco Gauff win the US Open in 2023 from the stands, just two months after giving birth to her daughter. She described Flushing Meadows as her favourite court in the world.

“I’m a little sensitive and don’t want to cry, but I had so much fun out here. Just two months after giving birth to my daughter, I was in the stands watching Coco. I really wanted the chance to come back and play on this court—it’s my favourite in the world. It means so much to be here again. I want to give a big thank you to my team. We’ve been through a lot, and it hasn’t always been easy, but they’ve stood by me. Thank you all—I love you.”

She will next face the winner of the clash between Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic and Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk.