Naomi Osaka overpowered Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 to reach her first grand slam quarterfinal in four years

Naomi Osaka produced her best performance in years to storm into the US Open quarterfinals, dismantling defending champion Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 on Monday night in New York.

In front of a raucous Labor Day crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Osaka looked every bit the four-time Grand Slam champion. She played with clarity, aggression, and a consistency that has often eluded her in recent seasons, reaching her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since the 2021 Australian Open.

From the outset, Osaka seized control. She won eight of the first nine points, breaking Gauff immediately as the 20-year-old American struggled to find her rhythm. Gauff’s nerves, combined with untimely double faults, gave Osaka all the momentum. Serving at 3-5 to stay in the first set, Gauff faltered again, throwing in two double faults — including one on set point.

“I was super locked in,” Osaka said afterwards. “I just had so much fun out here.”

Osaka’s dominance continued into the second set. She broke twice more, converting all four of her break-point chances across the match. From the baseline, she was unrelenting, committing just 12 unforced errors while winning 85% of her service points. By contrast, Gauff sprayed 33 errors and never managed a single break point.

“I just made way too many mistakes,” Gauff admitted. “That’s usually the strongest part of my game. It’s disappointing… She forced me to earn every point.”

For Osaka, the result is a landmark moment. Not only is it her fifth career Grand Slam quarterfinal, but history suggests it could mean more: every time she has reached this stage in a major, she has gone on to lift the trophy.

She will now face No. 11 seed Karolína Muchová of Czechia, who defeated Marta Kostyuk 6-3, 6-7(0), 6-3 earlier in the day. Muchová is a two-time US Open semifinalist and represents a significant test, but Osaka looks ready for the challenge.

“This is my favourite court in the world,” Osaka said, reflecting on her return to the latter stages of a Slam. “It means so much to be back here. Big thank you to my team. We’ve been through a lot, and it hasn’t always been easy.”

The victory also carries added significance for Osaka, who gave birth to her daughter Shai in July 2023 and has been working her way back into elite form since returning to the tour.

“What I want to take away from this tournament is just smiling and having fun,” she explained. “Going into this match, I wanted to be grateful. She’s one of the best players in the world, and for me, I have the most fun when I play against the best.”

Gauff, who claimed her maiden Grand Slam at Roland Garros earlier this year, was quick to acknowledge that Osaka’s level was simply too high. Despite the disappointment, she remains upbeat about her trajectory, saying she is learning from every loss.

For Osaka, though, this victory felt like a statement. Ruthless on serve, clinical on return, and brimming with composure, she reminded the tennis world why she was once the dominant force on hard courts.

With seven career titles — all on hard courts — the 27-year-old heads into the second week of the US Open with momentum, confidence, and the sense that her comeback story may just be entering its most exciting chapter