Six summers ago, Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff shared a unique moment in the third round of the U.S. Open.
Gauff, 15 at the time, had just lost her Arthur Ashe Stadium debut to Osaka, the reigning champion of the tournament in Flushing.
It was evident the win was secondary for Osaka, who immediately checked on Gauff before sharing her spotlight with the then-teenager.
As the two prepare to square off in the round of 16 on the very same court, however, the evolution of that memorable moment has made for a highly anticipated showdown Monday night with a quarterfinal berth on the line.
“I was wanting to leave the court because I’m not the type of person who wants to cry in front of everyone. I didn’t want to take that moment away from her, as well,” Gauff said at the time of the exchange. “She told me it’s better than crying in the shower. She convinced me multiple times to stay. I kept saying no. Finally I said, ‘OK, I’ll do it,’ because I didn’t know what to do.
“I’m happy that she kind of convinced me to do it because, I mean, I’m not used to crying in front of everyone.”
That was Gauff’s most formal introduction to New York, and vice versa, in what was just her second Grand Slam appearance.
Since then, the now-21-year-old has captured two titles as the 2023 U.S. Open winner and this year’s French Open champion.
Osaka won the Open again in 2020, in addition to topping the Australian Open the following year.
She then became a mom in 2023, taking the year off before working through some trials and tribulations to return to her pre-pregnancy form.
But the two have developed a clear bond based on mutual respect and admiration.
“I remember just knowing that she was going to be a really great tennis player, which I was right,” Osaka said with a laugh Saturday, when she was asked what she remembers from the 2019 match against Gauff. “But yeah, I mean, she was, what, 15 at the time? I thought she just handled herself really well, and I knew she was going to be back there.
“Now to be playing her again after six years, I don’t know if that makes me old, but yeah, just to be at this point of my life and to be playing her again is, honestly, for me, feels kind of special.
Gauff and Osaka have largely traded off wins through their five meetings, but they haven’t completed a match since 2022.
After beating Osaka in straight sets at the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic, Gauff earned a walkover in their last meeting last year in Beijing due to the 27-year-old Osaka’s back injury.
When Osaka informed Gauff she was retiring, they hugged.
Gauff then helped carry Osaka’s bags off the court.
Osaka may view Gauff as a little sister, but this match could be an ode to her journey back to a form that is worthy of this stage.
And while Gauff’s recognition of Osaka has been well-documented, this next meeting could represent a generational statement.
Times have changed, maybe, but the girlhood still remains.
“For me, a definition of an athlete is someone who treats you as their worst enemy on the court, but after, they treat you like you’re their best friend,” Gauff said six years ago. “That’s what she did.”
