Naomi Osaka produced her best performance since returning from maternity leave to defeat Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 in the fourth round of the US Open on Monday. Playing in front of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, the four-time major winner dominated from the start, winning 16 of her first 18 service points and breaking Gauff's serve early.
Gauff, the third seed and 21 years old, struggled with her serve throughout the match, hitting five double faults and 33 unforced errors. Her forehand was particularly erratic, with 11 unforced errors in the first set alone. Osaka, meanwhile, landed only 42% of first serves but won 94% of points when she did, finishing with 10 winners and 12 unforced errors.
The match lasted just 64 minutes, with Osaka breaking Gauff's serve twice in each set. Gauff's serving issues have been a recurring theme this summer, including a first-round exit at Wimbledon. She has been working with biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan to improve her delivery, but the changes have yet to fully take hold.
Despite the defeat, Gauff remained optimistic. 'It's disappointing for sure, but it is a step in the right direction,' she said. 'If I kept the way I was going in Cincinnati to here, I would have been out the first round.' Osaka will face Karolina Muchova in the quarter-finals.
