by: Alana Brown-Davis
This Monday, at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, NY, Naomi Osaka defeated Coco Gauff in the mixed doubles of the US Open. Osaka came away with a 6-3, 6-2 win , advancing her to her first major quarterfinal since 2021.
It’s safe to assume that Osaka is back in her element. The road to this point was anything but smooth for the Japanese tennis player. In the summer of 2021, Osaka withdrew from the French Open after complications with mandatory media obligations. She also did not attend the Wimbledon series. At one point following the US Open, she tearfully confessed to reporters that she had considered taking a hiatus.
In 2022, Osaka lost in the third round at the Australian Open with no major wins that season. That following year she announced that she was pregnant
“I’m a little sensitive and I don’t want to cry, but honestly, I just had so much fun out here,” Osaka said on the court moments later. “I was telling everyone, literally I was in the stands two months after I gave birth to my daughter, watching Coco. I just really wanted an opportunity to come out here and play. This is my favorite court in the world, and it means so much to me to be back here.”
The last time Gauff and Osaka played against each other was in 2019. At the time, Osaka held the number one spot and Gauff was a young prodigy, both making waves as they vied for the championship. Osaka bested Gauff 6-3,6-0 that August, however that wasn’t the memorable part of their match. As Gauff cried on the court, Osaka invited her to the post match interview-typically only for the winner.
Osaka will face Karolina Muchova in the quarter final at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday.
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