US Open 2025 Women’s Day 9

Two-times former champion Naomi Osaka ripped 2023 winner Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 in a Monday masterclass which put gave the Japanese payer a return to the quarter-finals of the US Open 

Gauff was all but helpless in the rout which took barely an hour and echoed the first meeting of the pair here in the 2019 third round with Osaka losing only three games.

Second seed Gauff, the crowd darling, had little to offer as she lost with  33 unforced errors and just eight winners.

Osaka, who took time away from the sport for motherhood,  last played a Grand Slam quarter-final at the 2022 Australian Open.

A disappointed Gauff quickly fled the court after losing her final two service games to take the loss.

Osaka said she “didn’t want to cry” after her victory

“I had so much fun out here. I just wanted to come out and play on my favourite court in the world. It means so much to be back here.”

Osaka, who finished runner-up at the tune-up tournament in Montreal last month, said that saving two match points during the Canadian week stood out as a turning point in her comeback to the game.

“I thought if I could do that, then anything is possible. Just try your best and have a smile on your face.

“I was super locked-in, I felt everyone wanted to watch a great match.”

In a possible omen, every time Osaka has reached the last eight at a major (four times) she has gone on to win the title   

Second-seeded former champion Iga Swiatek raced through a fourth-round win in just over an hour, dispatching Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-1 to advance.

The six-time Grand Slam winner who lifted the title here in 2022,  lifted the opening set 6-3 after Alexandrova delivered two double-faults and ploughed a return into the bottom of the net.

The second set went fast, with former world No. 1 Swiatek saving three break points as she served for the match before ending with a backhand winner.

“For sure I’m happy with the performance, I didn’t let Ekaterina come back to the match in the second set,” Swiatek said.

“So I’m happy with the focus and with the quality of everything.”

The Pole will play in her 13th quarter-final at a major and her third at Flushing Meadows.

Main photo:- Naomi Osaka returned to US Open quarter finals – by Mark Greenwood/Grandslamtennis