Naomi Osaka stuns Coco Gauff to reach US Open quarter-finals

NEW YORK: Naomi Osaka rolled back the years with a vintage display, dispatching third seed Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 in a much-anticipated fourth-round clash between two former US Open champions at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday.

Osaka struck early, breaking Gauff in the opening game and maintaining control throughout the match.

Gauff, meanwhile, struggled with consistency, committing five double faults and piling up unforced errors. A crucial missed serve on match point summed up her evening.

The four-time Grand Slam champion has looked revitalised in her latest comeback, building on her runner-up finish in Montreal and thriving under the guidance of coach Tomasz Wiktorowski.

Reflecting on her win, Osaka said her focus was on enjoying the moment rather than just results.

"The main thing I want to take away from this tournament is just smiling and having fun," Osaka said.

"For me, honestly, I have the most fun when I play against the best players," she added.

Next up for Osaka is 11th seed Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic in Tuesday’s quarter-final. Remarkably, Osaka has gone on to lift a Grand Slam trophy every time she has reached the last eight of a major.

Despite past struggles, the Japanese star stressed she never considered walking away from tennis completely.

"To hang up my racket permanently would be a very scary thing," she admitted. "It's like breathing air to me."