Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka will come face to face once more at the US Open, with a quarterfinal spot on the line.
Gauff has recalled her ‘tough’ match with Osaka at the 2019 US Open before their latest encounter, having lost that third round meeting.
The American was making her debut at the Grand Slam at the age of 15, with her dream run ended by top seed Osaka.
She has since gone on to win the US Open, while her next opponent is a two-time champion of the event, and has reached number one in the WTA rankings.
Gauff does, however, hold the edge in terms of their head-to-head record, having won three of their five matches so far.
Steve Johnson and John Isner predict the winner of Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka
A reunion now awaits in Flushing Meadows, with former players Steve Johnson and John Isner sharing their winner predictions before the action got underway.
Johnson said on the Nothing Major Show: “I am taking Coco. She did well, and kind of figured the serve out in her last match with only four double faults.
“If she figures that out and even relatively takes some stress out, everything will fall in place with the rest of her game.
“She is still number three in the world, which is amazing. To have that big of a question mark every time you step up to the line and toss the ball.
“So if she can figure that out, which she did in the third round where she only had four double faults, so she is getting better. It is not going to be fixed overnight. So if she figures that serve out I think she toughs out Osaka.”
And Isner commented: “Sam [Querrey] and I both said Osaka is going to win this match. I hope for Coco. But I think Naomi is going to win, I am cheering for Coco.”
What steps has Coco Gauff taken to improve her serve for the US Open?
Gauff’s serving problems have been under the microscope not only just ahead of the US Open, but throughout the season in general.
The two-time Grand Slam champion leads the way for double faults across the WTA Tour in 2025, having finished 2024 with that unwanted record too.
But despite her clear struggles in that area, the 21-year-old managed to double her Grand Slam tally earlier this year with a stunning French Open success.
And that does indeed suggest that she is only going to become an even bigger threat if her serving issues can be ironed out.
Importantly, she has taken a big step in trying to improve in that area, bringing in biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan.
He previously helped current world number one Aryna Sabalenka in that regard, while Gauff incidentally made another major move before the Grand Slam started by splitting with coach Matt Daly.
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