Gauff to face Osaka in last 16 after ’emotional week’

US Open 2025

Dates: August 24 through September 7 in Flushing Meadows, New York

Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff will face off in the fourth round of the US Open after she triumphed over Magdalena Frech with impressive results.

Gauff, the third seed, cried after failing to win in the second round against Donna Vekic on Thursday, but the American looked resolute and determined as she defeated Frech, 6-3, 6-1.

Daria Kasatkina lost to Japan’s Osaka, who is a two-time New York major champion, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3.

Gavin MacMillan, a biomechanics expert, hired Gavin MacMillan after Gauff committed 16 double errors earlier this month in her Cincinnati Masters defeat to Jasmine Paolini. The 21-year-old is now adapting to a new serving technique.

The crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium appeared to carry Gauff during the unfavorable moments that occasionally threatened to derail a straightforward victory after a heartfelt first week at her home Grand Slam.

Gauff, who won the title at Flushing Meadows in 2023, said, “It’s been an emotionally charged week. I think I needed those difficult moments to move forward.”

“I was putting a lot of pressure on myself, but I’m really just trying to enjoy it and not so much on the outcome as the process,” she said. I believe today demonstrated how much I enjoyed myself outside.

Gauff claimed earlier in the week that she “felt a lot lighter going on court” after expressing her emotions earlier in the week in a press conference post-match.

For me, she continued, “I just realized that I don’t want that to happen again on court.”

“I don’t want to display my moments of weakness.” However, I was considering whether or not it is a weakness after the game.

Gauff jumped out to a 3-3 lead early in the first set before double-fauling on break point as Frech fought back.

Gauff resisted the urge to turn that stumbling into a nosedive and won the set in 43 minutes over the next three games.

Gauff continued to improve her serveput after making 79% of her first 79% in the opening set.

As she continued to improve her speeds from earlier in the tournament, the two-time Grand Slam champion made just two double faults after registering 18 in both of her first and second-round matches combined.

Osaka has reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time since winning the Australian Open title in 2021 when it defeated 15th seed Kasatkina.

She will meet Gauff, who she described as her “little sister,” again there.

In the third round, Osaka defeated a 15-year-old Gauff in their first of five previous encounters at Flushing Meadows in 2019.

Osaka, 27, defeated Kasatkina, who committed eight double errors and only managed to get 25 percent of her first serves in a 22-minute first-set bagel.

However, as Osaka began to grow irritable, Kasatkina, who switched from Russia to Australia earlier this year, forced a decision after a sluggish second set with seven service breaks.

Before wrapping up the set in relative comfort, Osaka regained her composure and saved a break point.

I was trying to stay calm, to be honest. Although I was so shaky today, Osaka expressed happiness that the game was entertaining.

You guys are very involved, and I feel very grateful, thank you, whenever I come here.

Can someone come to the game and cheer for me, she said when asked about facing home-seeing Gauff in the following round.

“It’s difficult to be an American here, but I hope you guys have adopted me.” It’s cool to be playing her here because I kind of see her as a little sister.

27th seed Marta Kostyuk rallied back from a set down to defeat France’s 107th seed Diane Parry 33-66-46-46-2.