Will it now open the breakthrough tournament Naomi Osaka?

New York – two years ago, Naomi Osaka Was sitting at stalls at Arthur Ashe Stadium and watched Coco Gauff Switch to US Open Final with winning Karolina in civilian.

For Osaka, it was a great reminder where she was – and where she was at the moment.

Was three years removed from the last title in the tournament and Just two months to give birth to her daughter Shai. Since the viewer reminded what it was to play in front of 24,000 people when the lights glistened the brightest. She couldn’t wait for her to go out there again.

She didn’t even formally returned in practice, but Osaka can imagine there, playing against the best players, deep in the slam.

A few weeks later, she returned to court practice, more motivated than ever.

Osaka returned to Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday. But this time she was in court and faced Gauff, now two-way champions and seeds of tournament no. 3, in the fourth round, while the audience looked at the capacity.

He was hyper as a must see the match between the former American champions in the open and two largest stars of sports, but the match contained a small drama. Instead of Osaka, 27, 27, The biggest, and perhaps the most impressive, victory Its return with the dominant 6-3, 6-2 wins only 64. Minutes to go to the first major quarter of 2021. Years.

That meant everything.

“I’m a little sensitive and I don’t want to cry, but I just had just fun here,” Osaka said at court moments later. “I told everyone, I’ve been to three months after I was born my daughter. I just really wanted a chance to go out here and I play. This is my favorite court in the world and it’s so much to find it.”

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Six years agoAlmost until the day, Osaka and Gauff played for the first time.

Osaka was the ruling champion and the world no. 1, and Gauff was a 15-year-old residence he rebelled the world with his courage at the fourth round on Vimbledon earlier in Vimbledon earlier. And it was charged as an event could not be missed on ashes between two stars that increase.

But Osaka dominated the third round 6-3, 6-0, and could be largely forgetful. But as Gauff cried in court, Osaka patterned her and asked him to take an interview in the match – usually only for the winner with her only. Osaka then ate Gauff and her parents in a beautiful moment of sports right. Two players have been essentially connected, even as their career on distinctly various paths lasted.

Osaka ultimately lost in New York, but next year again won the title, next to the second Australian open title. Was at the top of the Tennis World and Pure Villiams throne as the most dominant and more recognizable figures in women’s tennis.

What happened next is well documented. She announced that she would jump on the news on the French open for just a few months later, which went from the media and resulted in her Withdrawal in front of her second match. She skipped Vimbledon. At the Tokyo Olympic Games and the US were opened in the third round. After the early exit to New York, they said that she told reporters to think about the break from sports.

“I recently feel like, like, when I win, I don’t feel happy,” Osaka explained. “I feel more like a relief. And when I lose, I feel very sad. I don’t think it’s normal.”

Osaka returned for the 2022 season, but lost in the third round on the Australian Open, then did not win another big match. She announced her pregnancy Just before the beginning of the beginning 1923. Australian Open and many wondered if they would ever play again.

Meanwhile, through Osaken’s fights and maternity leave, Gauff continued to climb the ranking list. Reached on the first main final in the opening of 2022. Years They won her first name Slam outdoors 2023. YearsTwo days after Osaka looked at her from the crowd. This summer, Gauff won the second main name on the open French.

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Motivated by A high level that saw from Gauff and the rest of the best players on the US Open and wanting to win for his daughter, Osaka had big hopes for returning in 2024. Year.

But she did not see the immediate results she was hoping for. While the flashes of her vintage form – especially during the second round of conflict against Iga Sviajtek At last year’s French open – she fought the best players and in the most important moments. Failed to progress next to the second round on Major 2024. years.

Is disappointed with her year, She fired her wim Fissette’s coach At the end of the season and brought to Patrick Mouratoglou, most famous for its long-term partnership with Williams. They had several decent results – including performances on the third round to the Australian Open and Vimbledon, as well as the name at 125 levels and finishing in Auckland – But two separate ways in July.

Since then, Osaka began working with Tomasz Viktorovski, who previously trained Swiajtek to more major titles. (Swiajtek is now working with Fissettet.) Results – those who desperately seek from the beginning of their return – they were immediately.

At the Canadian open-ended month – their first tournament together – Osaka has hurried one impressive victory for another and arrived until the first final of 1000 levels of 2022. Year in his second match in Montreal Liudmila SamsonovaShe saved two points of the match and forced decision-making. Since then, she called a turning point for her attitude and confidence.

“I have since I started thinking everything is possible,” Osaka said Monday after the Gauff defeat. “You just have to try your best (s) smile on your face.”

Osaka lost in three sets to Victoria is a pocket In the finals, but in New York arrived in the straw for the first time since she gave birth. He obviously felt confident and governly rummaged – and happy for her partnership with Victorovski.

“I work with a new coach,” Osaka said at the beginning of the United States. “It’s really great. It is incredibly incredibly useful. He cut into the chase and makes me feel like a tennis encyclopedia, so it’s good to have someone like that in your corner.”

Osaka always said that her favorite tournament was opened now. Before she won her first main name – against her childhood hero Williams in the controversial and dramatic final, “she was a young child, looking at television, and attended her fans, dreaming one day to play at that event one day. Although she represents Japan, a few her age was spent in New York and the crowd often gives the treatment of the hometown.

The tour is a different place, with new playlings, and Osaka is now another person than during its title in 2018. and 2020, with additional responsibility that the parent, in addition to entrepreneurial interests. But its goals on the tennis court remain the same.

And now it seems, despite all changes, it is in a position that it is still achieved again.

Across tournaments of Osaka is strengthened and like a player who dominates like this on hard courts in Queens once. Dropped only one set – on the seeds on 15 Daria Kasatkin In the third round – but otherwise it is in solid management. Against Gauff, who was in a terrifying repair process for real-time service movementOsaka showed its movement, strong service and decisively from the beginning. She won 32 of the 38 points she served, turned all four her points and, by VTA, she won in 16 of the 24ths last five or more shots.

When it was over, she remained mostly assembled, with a wide smile on her face, as her team members in her box jumped up and down, excitedly exchanged hugs and big wigs.

Gauff, which is broken in the introductory game, had five double errors in the exit, including one to seal the first set. The 21-year-old also had 33 unsightened errors.

“It’s disappointing,” Gauff said after the game. “Surely it wasn’t the level I wanted to bring, but I think it was emotionally how much it was this week, and I’ve been a little empty today. Forced me to make me deserve every point today.”

In other points in Osaka career, he failed to hide his frustration in court and sometimes seemed to crash under pressure. But on Monday, and during her in New York in New York, she largely looked greatly, unconsciously, showing a huge trait and positivity. She admitted that her transition to the behavior and body language was intentional and indication where she was currently mentally.

“For me, I want to take this tournament just smile and amused,” Osaka said. “You’re getting into this match, I just wanted to be grateful. It’s one of the best players in the world, I have the funniest, because they attacked, so they attacked how they won in progress.”

Osaka will take over Semeni no. 11 muclova in the quarterfinal. There was a long way because the muclova was watching two years ago, but exactly where she always believed she would be again. Osaka, who Monday called Mugh’s “One of the most talented tennis” on Monday, knows it will be a challenge. They played twice since the return of Osaka, the whole series. Osaka won the last meeting in three sets at the Australian Open early this year.

Osaka was undefeated in the main quarters during her career, but she didn’t put too much pressure on himself. It is expected to return to the top 20 of 2022 for the first time. Year after it is open to the US, no matter how much it is on wednesday or widely, it is excited about the possibility.

“I feel really relaxed,” Osaka said to the journalists. “I don’t feel under stress at all. I think I just wanted to have a better year than last year, and I’ve already done that, everything that happened the rest of this tournament, I’m just trying to be a better tennis player and learn.”