Coco Gauff defeated Timea Babos (6-2, 4-6, 6-4) on Thursday night to advance to the third round of the U.S. Open. Waiting for 15-year old Gauff in the next round is Naomi Osaka, the tournament’s top seed and reigning champion.
Osaka, just 21-years old until October, probably thought that she would have some time as the young, exciting new face of her sport as she won the 2018 U.S. Open and the 2019 Australian Open. Instead, she’s got to contend with a 15-year-old who is taking the tennis world by storm. The pair will meet in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday on the same court where Osaka defeated Serena Williams last September. It should be quite a test for both players as Gauff again finds herself on an increasingly large stage at such a young age and Osaka will face a hostile New York crowd pulling for Gauff. Well, at least as hostile as tennis crowds get.
As great as Gauff’s play was, her interaction with Tom Rinaldi in her on-court, post-match interview was even more impressive. She’s comfortable on television. Gives honest answers and points out when someone asks a bad or non-existent question. So far, she’s everything we could ask for in a young star.
