There’s a sense of electricity in the air at Flushing Meadows as two of tennis’s brightest stars—Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka—prepare to renew their compelling rivalry in the fourth round of the US Open on Monday. This isn’t just another match; it’s a meeting of two former champions, both with stories that have captivated the tennis world and inspired fans across the globe.
It’s been six years since their headline-grabbing encounter in 2019, when a 15-year-old Gauff faced the reigning champion Osaka on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Back then, Osaka swept aside the upstart American in straight sets, then memorably consoled a teary Gauff and encouraged her to address the New York crowd. Fast forward to 2025, and the dynamic has shifted: Gauff, now 21 and seeded No. 3, is a two-time Grand Slam champion, including her breakthrough triumph at the US Open in 2023. Osaka, 27 and seeded No. 23, boasts four major titles—two in New York—and has reclaimed her place among the sport’s elite after a hiatus to focus on her mental health and, more recently, to welcome her daughter, Shai, into the world.
Both players booked their spots in this blockbuster fourth-round clash with hard-fought victories on Saturday. Gauff turned in her most composed performance of the tournament, dispatching No. 28 Magdalena Frech 6-3, 6-1 under the bright morning sun on Ashe. Notably, she didn’t double-fault in her opening service game for the first time all week and looked sharp from the baseline, breaking Frech five times and dominating longer rallies. "It’s been like an emotional week … but I think I needed those tough moments to move forward," Gauff admitted after the match. "I was putting too much pressure on myself."
Her serve, a source of anxiety throughout the season, showed marked improvement. Gauff averaged 98 mph on her first delivery, peaking at 113 mph, and put in 76% of her first serves. This turnaround comes after enlisting biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan, whose work with Aryna Sabalenka helped the Belarusian conquer her own serving woes. Gauff’s recent struggles are well-documented: she led the tour in double-faults and suffered a painful fourth-round exit here last year, marred by 19 double-faults. In Montreal last month, she notched a career-high 23 double-faults in a single match. But on Saturday, she limited herself to just four, conceding only one break.
Osaka, meanwhile, showed flashes of her vintage brilliance in a rollercoaster three-set win over No. 15 Daria Kasatkina at Louis Armstrong Stadium. She blitzed through the opening set 6-0, losing just eight points and committing a mere six unforced errors. The second set saw her wobble, as Kasatkina raced to a 4-1 lead and Osaka’s frustration became visible. But the Japanese star steadied herself, regrouping in the decider to close out the match 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 and reach the US Open fourth round for the first time since her 2020 title run.
"I think honestly since I’ve come back I kind of wanted everything to happen really quickly," Osaka reflected in her post-match interview. "So I think it took, I keep saying like after Wimbledon, but for me to just completely not even think about results anymore and just try to focus on every match by itself. I did good in Montreal, and now we’re here. I’m just really happy about that. … As a journey, it’s not something that I really pictured, but I’m glad to be living it."
Osaka’s journey back to the second week of a major has been anything but straightforward. After opening up about her struggles with anxiety and depression at the 2021 French Open, she stepped away from the game for extended periods. Her return in 2024, after giving birth, has been watched closely by fans and experts alike. The victory over Kasatkina marks her deepest run at a Slam since the 2021 Australian Open.
As anticipation builds for Monday’s showdown, both players have spoken candidly about their history and mutual respect. "Naomi and I, we aren’t super close or anything, but we’re definitely friendly with each other," Gauff shared. "I support her from afar in all the things that she’s done—on and off the court." For Osaka, the matchup is tinged with nostalgia and affection. "I kind of see her as a little sister, so it's kind of cool to be playing her here again," she said, before making a heartfelt plea to the New York crowd: "Can somebody come to the match and cheer for me? It's kind of tough playing an American here, but I hope you guys adopted me, as well."
Gauff currently leads their head-to-head 3-2, having won three of their last four meetings since that emotional night in 2019. Their most recent clash, at the China Open in October 2024, ended prematurely when Osaka retired due to a back injury after splitting the first two sets. Still, the significance of their US Open rematch isn’t lost on either of them. "I remember it was a tough moment for me, because it was a hyped-up match. ... I guess I put way too much pressure on myself, thinking I maybe had a chance in that moment to actually do something, which I definitely did, but I think it was just I felt more expectation than I should than maybe belief," Gauff recalled of their first meeting. "It would be a cool, kind of, deja vu type of situation, but hopefully it will be a different result."
Venus Williams, herself a legend of the sport, summed up the excitement best: "Everyone will be watching. That’s what tennis needs." Indeed, the buzz around this match is palpable, with fans and pundits alike eager to see how Gauff’s home-court advantage and improved serve stack up against Osaka’s big-match experience and poise under pressure. The atmosphere on Arthur Ashe Stadium promises to be electric, with Gauff certain to have the lion’s share of support but Osaka’s legacy and resilience impossible to ignore.
Elsewhere at the US Open, the action remains fierce. Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez advanced to the third round of women’s doubles, marking Williams’s return to Grand Slam doubles for the first time since 2022. On the men’s side, top seed Jannik Sinner, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Lorenzo Musetti all moved on to the later rounds, while No. 2 Iga Swiatek and No. 11 Karolina Muchova joined Gauff and Osaka in the women’s fourth round.
As Monday approaches, all eyes are fixed on this marquee matchup. Will Gauff continue her title defense with the confidence and composure she displayed against Frech, or will Osaka’s experience and shot-making prowess carry her into the quarterfinals? One thing’s certain: tennis fans are in for a treat, and the echoes of their first meeting will resonate through every rally.
With both players eager to write the next chapter in their shared history, the stage is set for a memorable night in New York. The action is ongoing, but the anticipation couldn’t be higher.
