The Japanese star stayed composed while Gauff piled up mistakes, falling 6-3, 6-2 in one of her poorest Grand Slam displays.
First Set: Osaka Seizes Control Early
A packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, buzzing with WTA fans, anticipated a blockbuster clash. It was not to be.
Naomi Osaka, waving her racket with ease before the first ball, looked calm, all ready, and relaxed. In contrast, Coco Gauff wore the tense expression of someone forced to balance messy books, her demeanor tight under the lights.
The world’s virtual No.2 stumbled early, dropping serve in the opening game. Osaka seized the break and consolidated, while Gauff struggled to shake off the nerves. Both then settled, holding comfortably as the match flowed to 4-3 in Osaka’s favor. The crowd finally engaged when Gauff ripped a backhand change-of-direction winner and let out a loud “Come on!”
At 4-3, Osaka delivered the set’s pivotal hold. Racing to 40-0, she exploited Gauff’s forehand errors, sealing the 5-3 lead after another mishit. The pressure flipped to Gauff’s serve, and after a double fault at 15-all, Osaka pounced with a backhand winner. At 31 minutes, she earned two set points on the return. She needed only one, as Gauff double-faulted again to hand Osaka the opener 6-3.
Osaka vs Gauff – Set One Stats
| Statistic | Osaka | Gauff |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 4.00 | 0.25 |
| Winners | 6 | 5 |
| Unforced Errors | 5 | 16 |
| Serve Rating | 323 | 232 |
| Aces | 2 | 3 |
| Double Faults | 0 | 3 |
| 1st Serve % | 39% (7/18) | 63% (17/27) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 100% (7/7) | 59% (10/17) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 82% (9/11) | 50% (5/10) |
| Break Points Saved | – (0/0) | 0% (0/2) |
| Service Games | 100% (4/4) | 60% (3/5) |
| Ace % | 11.1% | 11.1% |
| Double Fault % | 0% | 11.1% |
| Return Rating | 231 | 18 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 41% (7/17) | 0% (0/7) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 50% (5/10) | 18% (2/11) |
| Break Points Won | 100% (2/2) | – (0/0) |
| Return Games | 40% (2/5) | 0% (0/4) |
| Pressure Points | 100% (2/2) | 0% (0/2) |
| Service Points | 89% (16/18) | 56% (15/27) |
| Return Points | 44% (12/27) | 11% (2/18) |
| Net Points | 50% (1/2) | 67% (2/3) |
| Total Points | 62% (28/45) | 38% (17/45) |
| Max Points In A Row | 8 | 4 |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Service Games Won | 100% (4/4) | 60% (3/5) |
| Return Games Won | 40% (2/5) | 0% (0/4) |
| Total Games Won | 67% (6/9) | 33% (3/9) |
| Max Games In A Row | 2 | 1 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Set 1 Duration | 0h 32m | |
Second Set: Gauff’s Errors Pile Up
Hands shot into the air after a big opening point from Osaka to start the second set. She raced to 40-0 on serve, almost entirely behind second deliveries, but Gauff clawed back to 40-30. It was her moment to strike. Instead, a routine forehand floated into the net. By then, Osaka had committed just five unforced errors compared to Gauff’s staggering 19.
The American finally found rhythm in the next game, producing two clean rally winners from 30-0 to 40-15. For the first time, she could tell herself, this is better. With that, it was 1-1 and still open. Yet Osaka’s serve never sputtered. Calm and composed, she held for 2-1 after winning the longer exchanges.
As the games ticked by, the crowd sensed Gauff needed lifting. Every double fault from the teenager now drew not only groans but pockets of applause, as if to push her forward. She responded with a gritty hold for 2-2, but Osaka immediately surged ahead again. At 3-2, Gauff double-faulted to open her service game, missed on the backhand for 15-30, and compounded it with an even worse forehand miss. The crowd could hardly believe her level. Osaka broke for 4-2, then consolidated for 5-2 without fuss, even behind second serves.
Fans in the lower sections began leaving at the changeover, sensing the inevitable. Never do that, folks. Gauff, however, stayed alive with a hold for 5-3, raising the question: could she turn it around? But from 40-0, Gauff faltered, never got to 5-3, sliding into deuce and letting the easy hold slip away. Osaka seized the opening and produced a match point seemingly out of thin air. One more Gauff error sealed her fate.
Osaka vs Gauff – Set 2 Stats
| Statistic | Osaka | Gauff |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 2.39 | 0.42 |
| Winners | 4 | 3 |
| Unforced Errors | 7 | 17 |
| Serve Rating | 308 | 233 |
| Aces | 1 | 0 |
| Double Faults | 0 | 2 |
| 1st Serve % | 45% (9/20) | 70% (16/23) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 89% (8/9) | 44% (7/16) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 73% (8/11) | 71% (5/7) |
| Break Points Saved | – (0/0) | 0% (0/2) |
| Service Games | 100% (4/4) | 50% (2/4) |
| Ace % | 5% | 0% |
| Double Fault % | 0% | 8.7% |
| Return Rating | 235 | 38 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 56% (9/16) | 11% (1/9) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 29% (2/7) | 27% (3/11) |
| Break Points Won | 100% (2/2) | – (0/0) |
| Return Games | 50% (2/4) | 0% (0/4) |
| Pressure Points | 100% (2/2) | 0% (0/2) |
| Service Points | 80% (16/20) | 52% (12/23) |
| Return Points | 48% (11/23) | 20% (4/20) |
| Net Points | 0% (0/1) | 0% (0/1) |
| Total Points | 63% (27/43) | 37% (16/43) |
| Max Points In A Row | 5 | 3 |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Service Games Won | 100% (4/4) | 50% (2/4) |
| Return Games Won | 50% (2/4) | 0% (0/4) |
| Total Games Won | 75% (6/8) | 25% (2/8) |
| Max Games In A Row | 4 | 1 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Set Duration | 0h 34m | |
Closing Out a Quarterfinal Spot
Osaka closed out a 6-3, 6-2 victory in emphatic fashion, a statement win at a major. For Gauff, this was a day to forget. Her serve woes are known, but both forehand and backhand collapsed in tandem, producing arguably her poorest Grand Slam performance. Whether nerves or health played a role, the American never found her stride.
For Osaka, though, it was all business. She lived through the errors, imposed her game with confidence, and now books her place in the US Open quarterfinals. After signing balls and firing them into the Arthur Ashe crowd, she walked off as a contender once again — projecting the aura of a champion who knows how to win under the lights in New York.