NEW YORK -- Naomi Osaka, the world's No. 1 player, put an end to the latest Grand Slam run by 15-year-old American Coco Gauff, winning 6-3, 6-0 in the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday.
Osaka's victory in Arthur Ashe Stadium was no surprise and no discredit to Gauff, who has captured plenty of imaginations and attention during her remarkable summer of tennis.
Although Gauff has overcome several of her elders, she is 0-2 against top-10 opposition, having lost to Simona Halep in the fourth round of Wimbledon as well as to Osaka on Saturday.
Osaka, the reigning U.S. Open champion, who defeated Serena Williams in last year's final, has struggled to hit the same high notes since a surprising split with coach Sascha Bajin after she won the Australian Open in January.
But with a new coach, Jermaine Jenkins, in her corner, Osaka, 21, is back in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows.
Immediately after the match, Osaka spoke to Gauff and asked her to join in the post-match interview. Gauff said she could not because she was about to burst into tears. Osaka told Gauff that it was better to show the fans how she felt than to go into the showers and cry alone. Gauff agreed and participated in the interview, thanking Osaka for being such a good sport as the fans applauded.
"She told me I did amazing," Gauff said during an unusual on-court interview for a match's loser, something that was Osaka's idea, knowing the way the packed house was supporting her opponent.
"I'm going to learn from this whole match," Gauff said. "She's been so sweet to me."
There was an atmosphere of anticipation and buzz for her matchup with Gauff, one tennis fans expect to see many times during the next several years. It was clear that the audience favored the American Gauff.
Osaka controlled most of the points in the opening set and could have won faster if not for a few mistakes. But some of her shotmaking was breathtaking, especially some of the acute angles she converted for winners. She had 15 winners in the first set.
"For me, this is the most focused I've been since Australia," said Osaka, who's had an up-and-down season since winning the Australian Open in January and is wearing a black sleeve on her left knee that's been problematic lately.
On Monday, Osaka will face a tough challenge in the 13th seed, Belinda Bencic. One of the game's best counterpunchers, she is at her most dangerous on hardcourts. She advanced to the fourth round by walkover on Saturday after her opponent, Anett Kontaveit, withdrew before the match because of a viral illness.
In men's play, Marin Cilic won a battle of big servers, with a key service break helping him beat American John Isner 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance to the U.S. Open's round of 16.
Next up for Cilic is No. 2 Rafael Nadal, who beat Hyeon Chung in straight sets 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the U.S. Open round of 16, the 13th consecutive time he's gone at least that far in a Grand Slam event.
The No. 2-seeded Nadal has had a relatively easy journey at Flushing Meadows so far, receiving a walkover in the second round from Thanasi Kokkinakis due to an injury and not dropping a set in his other two matches.
Sports on 09/01/2019