Six summers ago, Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff shared a unique moment in the third round of the U.S. Open.

Gauff, 15 at the time, had just lost her Arthur Ashe Stadium debut to Osaka, the reigning champion of the tournament in Flushing.

It was evident the win was secondary for Osaka, who immediately checked on Gauff before sharing her spotlight with the then-teenager.

As the two prepare to square off in the round of 16 on the very same court, however, the evolution of that memorable moment has made for a highly anticipated showdown Monday night with a quarterfinal berth on the line. 5

5

“I was wanting to leave the court because I’m not the type of person who wants to cry in front of everyone. I didn’t want to take that moment away from her, as well,” Gauff said at the time of the ex

See Full Page