“I see her as a little sister” – Naomi Osaka opens up about Coco Gauff & makes special request to crowd ahead of ‘tough’ US Open clash

Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff are set to take on each other in a blockbuster clash at the US Open. As the duo gear up for the match, the Japanese tennis star shared that she considers Gauff to be her little sister, while making a special request to the crowd.

For Osaka, her campaign at the US Open marks the first time she’s reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam event since her return from maternity leave. The last time she accomplished this feat was at the 2021 Australian Open, where she went on to lift the trophy.

Now, ahead her fourth round encounter in New York, Naomi Osaka asked for support from the crowd as she prepares for her ‘tough’ match, saying in an on-court interview,

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“I hope, can somebody come to the match and cheer for me? Because, I mean it's kind of tough playing an American here but I hope you guys kind of adopted me as well.”

She went on to call Coco Gauff her little sister, adding,

“I kind of also see her as a little sister so it's really cool to be playing her here again.”

Over the course of their career, Osaka and Gauff have played each other five times. The former won the duo's first two matches, but Gauff currently leads their head-to-head record 3-2.

Naomi Osaka shares her recollections about her clash with Coco Gauff at the 2019 US Open

Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff’s first meeting took place at the 2019 US Open. At that time, Osaka disposed of a 15-year-old Gauff in straight sets to advance into the next round.

Ahead of their upcoming clash, Osaka was asked by media to share her recollections of that match. In response, the four-time Grand Slam champion said,

“My recollections were that I remember just knowing that she was going to be a really great tennis player, which I was right. But yeah, I mean she was what, 15, at the time. And I thought she just handled herself really well and I knew she was going to be back there. So now to be playing her again after six years, I don't know if that makes me old. But yeah, just to be at this point of my life and to be playing her again honestly for me feels kind of special.”

So far at the US Open, Naomi Osaka has led an incredible campaign. Fresh off her finals run at the Canadian Open, the 27-year-old outdid Greet Minnen and Hailey Baptiste in straight sets in her first two rounds. She then beat 15th seed Daria Kasatkina in her third round match to set up a clash with Coco Gauff.

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Riddhi Acharya

Riddhi is a journalist who covers Indian sports and US Olympic sports at Sportskeeda. Sports have been an integral part of her life growing up, from the excitement of cheering teams to the anticipation of major events. She brings a wealth of experience covering the sport, demonstrating a deep understanding of the game and its players. Riddhi excels in crafting engaging articles, conducting thorough research, and staying abreast of the latest news and trends, all while adhering to SEO and journalism guidelines.

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