Osaka's Full-Circle Moment: US Open Quarterfinal Run Follows Post-Partum Viewing of Gauff's 2023 Triumph

27-year-old Naomi Osaka stormed into the quarterfinals of the US Open with a straight-sets victory over Coco Gauff. In an emotional on-court interview after the match, Osaka recalled watching Gauff from the stands at the 2023 US Open — just two months after giving birth to her daughter, Shai.

On Tuesday, September 2, Osaka eliminated 3rd seed Gauff 6-3, 6-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The win secured her place in a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the first time in more than four and a half years.

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Speaking after the match, a teary-eyed Osaka — now ranked No. 24 in the world — said Arthur Ashe is her favorite court in the world, and it meant a great deal to play against Gauff, who she had watched win the US Open title in 2023.

“I’m a little sensitive and I don’t want to cry but I had so much fun out here. I was in the stands 2 months after I gave birth to my daughter watching Coco I really wanted an opportunity to come out here and play. This is my favorite court in the world. It means so much to me to be back here.

I wanna say a big thank you to my team. We’ve kinda been through a lot. It hasn’t always been easy. They’ve been by my side. Thank you guys. Love you,” Osaka said.

The Japanese star won her last Grand Slam title in 2021. She took a full season off in 2023 to give birth to her daughter in July, and made her Slam return at the Australian Open in January 2024.

Her run to the quarterfinals in New York marks her best Grand Slam result since returning as a mother.

“This is kind of uncharted territory at this point of my career,” said Osaka, who was born in Japan and moved to the U.S. with her family at age 3. “I’m just enjoying it. I’m having fun. I’m being able to play against the best players in the world.”

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Osaka was the stronger player throughout the match, capitalising on Gauff’s unforced errors and visibly shaky performance. The 20-year-old American, who has struggled for consistency during this tournament, showed frustration on court — gesturing to her team, covering her face, and appearing emotionally unsettled during key moments.

Next, Osaka will face No. 11 seed Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic for a place in the semifinals. Muchova — the 2023 French Open runner-up and a two-time US Open semifinalist — advanced with a 6-3, 6-7 (0), 6-3 win over Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk.