Why the primary Osaka-Gauff showdown didn’t disappoint
D’Arcy MaineESPN
NEW YORK — In essentially the most buzzed-about matchup to this point on the US Open, defending champion and world No. 1 Naomi Osaka took on 15-year-old tennis prodigy Coco Gauff in a third-round conflict Saturday evening at Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was the primary assembly between the 2, and whereas it wasn’t precisely one of the best match, it set the scene for what might be an amazing rivalry and friendship for years to return.
With Rod Laver, Gayle King, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Hicks among the many notable followers in attendance, Osaka reminded the group why she’s the top-ranked participant and a two-time Grand Slam champion, successful 6-Three, 6-Zero in simply over an hour. (Watch replay of the match right here.)
Osaka will subsequent face Belinda Bencic, who superior through walkover, within the fourth spherical on Monday (full protection on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN App). Earlier than we begin occupied with that match, let us take a look at the most important takeaways from Saturday evening’s win.
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The group
There are loud, enthusiastic crowds after which there’s the one which confirmed up on Saturday evening. It appeared like just about each one of many 23,771 seats have been crammed, and to say they have been into the motion on the court docket can be an understatement.
As of Saturday morning, there wasn’t a ticket on the secondary marketplace for the evening session for lower than $199. It was an excited viewers, and it appeared they have been largely behind Gauff — roars have been heard each time she earned some extent or closed out a recreation. When she gained her first recreation of the evening,the stadium erupted into “Let’s go, Coco, let’s go!”
Whereas it was clear the collective loyalties lied with the younger American, the followers have been encouraging of Osaka as properly and gave her a loud ovation on the finish. It is going to be laborious to think about she will not be the group favourite for each match she performs on the event going ahead.
After the match, Osaka remarked on the ambiance: “The power tonight was loopy,” she mentioned earlier than laughing. “Regardless that it wasn’t for me.”
The fatigue
Naomi Osaka’s on-target energy resulted in a 24-Eight edge in winners towards Coco Gauff. JASON SZENES/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Gauff has had some robust (and spectacular) matches this week. Sadly for her, it confirmed on Saturday. Along with two hard-fought three-set singles matches, she can also be is enjoying doubles with fellow American teen Caty McNally, and the 2 performed their opener within the peak of the 88-degree afternoon warmth on Friday.
Merely put, Gauff had logged much more minutes than Osaka coming into Saturday’s conflict. The 15-year-old spent 351 minutes — or simply below six hours — on court docket this week in comparison with simply 219 for the 21-year-old Osaka in two matches.
Gauff is accustomed to enjoying every day matches on the junior stage however not towards this stage of competitors, and positively not towards the No. 1 participant on this planet. Within the second set particularly, she appeared to have few solutions towards Osaka and could not sustain at occasions.
The nerves
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Naomi Osaka encourages Coco Gauff to affix her postmatch interview and each are emotional.
Gauff performed on Centre Court docket at Wimbledon earlier this summer time, however she had by no means performed on Arthur Ashe earlier than. There’s doubtless nothing within the sport that may fairly put together you for the dimensions, scope and noise of that ocurt. It’s the largest tennis stadium on this planet, in any case.
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McNally, Gauff’s buddy and doubles accomplice, mentioned Ashe was “essentially the most insane ambiance” she had ever performed on after her second-round match towards Serena Williams, and Gauff would doubtless agree.
The rising American star notched 18 double faults in her earlier two singles matches — the third-most among the many ladies within the event — she added one other seven within the third spherical. For comparability, Osaka had only one within the match. Gauff was solely capable of win two of 5 break factors, the place Osaka took six of seven.
The 2 gamers entered the conflict with comparable numbers with reference to their sturdy serves — Osaka had 10 aces in her first two matches, in comparison with Gauff’s 9. Each have blistering quick serve speeds — Gauff got here in with the fifth-best mark on the event at 118 miles per hour, and Osaka not far behind with a 116. Whereas Gauff had the quickest mark of the evening at 119, it was Osaka that had 5 aces (versus only one for Gauff). Osaka had a 73 p.c win share on her first serve, in comparison with an uncharacteristically low 43 p.c for Gauff.
The sportsmanship (for the win!)
After all of the hype, the match wasn’t all that compelling. What everybody will bear in mind for YEARS to return was the unimaginable show of sportsmanship after the match. Gauff walked to her chair instantly following the loss, clearly about to cry, when Osaka walked over and gave her an enormous hug and instructed her how properly she performed and understood what she was feeling. She then requested her to do the on-court interview along with her, and it was one of many extra heartwarming belongings you’ll ever see in sports activities as they traded compliments and shed various tears.
In a decade when these two are battling for his or her newest Grand Slam title, we’ll nonetheless be watching this clip in adoration.