Naomi Osaka returns to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in four years after beating Coco Gauff

After a 15-month hiatus to become a mother, many wondered if Naomi Osaka would ever reclaim her place among tennis’s elite. The four-time Grand Slam champion returned to the court in early 2024, visibly out of shape and uncertain about her game.

Her emotional press conference at Roland Garros—cut short in tears after a first-round loss to Paula Badosa—left fans questioning whether she could bounce back. “I hate letting people down,” she said at the time. “Even with Patrick [Mouratoglou], I kept thinking—he went from coaching the greatest of all time, Serena Williams, to… what the hell is this?”

But on Monday night in New York, Osaka silenced the doubters with a commanding win over Coco Gauff, beating the reigning US Open champion 6–3, 6–2 in just 1 hour and 4 minutes.

The victory marks her first appearance in a Grand Slam quarterfinal since 2021—and it couldn’t have come on a bigger stage.

Osaka’s sensational return

Now 27 and ranked No. 24 in the world, Osaka will face Czech star Karolina Muchova on Wednesday. Muchova advanced after a grueling three-set battle against Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, winning 6–3, 6–7 (0), 6–3 in 2 hours and 53 minutes.

Osaka’s win over Gauff was a masterclass in precision and poise. Gauff struggled with her serve, racking up five double faults and winning just 52% of points on her first serve. Osaka, meanwhile, lost only five points on her own serve throughout the match.

“This court means everything to me,” Osaka said, referring to Arthur Ashe Stadium, where she’s twice lifted the US Open trophy. “I just wanted the chance to come back and play here.”

Gauff, meanwhile, visibly disappointed, admitted, “I made too many mistakes. It’s frustrating… She made me fight for every single point”.

With the women’s draw wide open, Osaka’s performance has reignited hopes of another title run—and reminded fans why she’s still one of the sport’s most electrifying talents.

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