"When you play Naomi, she can play lights out tennis; I think two of the match points, I had an actual shot on, so I wasn’t too mad” - Coco Gauff after beating Naomi Osaka at Silicon Valley Classic
Roland Garros finalist Coco Gauff has said that she was prepared for 'lights out tennis' from Naomi Osaka during their meeting at the Silicon Valley Classic. Gauff's comments came after she registered a straight-sets win over the former World No. 1 in San Jose on August 4.
The 18-year-old rode a lone break in the first set to take the opener and looked on course for a straightforward win when she led 5-1 in the decider. However, Osaka twice recovered from 40-0 down in successive games, saving seven match points. Gauff then served out a tense victory to book her place in the last eight.
The last quarterfinal spot belongs to @CocoGauff!
She’ll face Paula Badosa tomorrow afternoon.
🎟 bit.ly/3PWPGXk
#MubadalaSVC https://t.co/QdP3e1K5RC
After her win, Gauff stated that she knew the match wasn't done yet when she arrived at match points as Osaka played 'lights out tennis' to erase seven of them. She said (via the San Francisco Chronicle:
“I knew I didn’t have the match in the bag yet, and she proved that. When you play Naomi, she can play lights out tennis. I think two of the match points I had an actual shot on, so I wasn’t too mad.”
From 5-1...to 5-4!!! 😰
@naomiosaka saves 7 match points and looks to level up in the second set.
#MubadalaSVC https://t.co/zk33JYbYnZ
With her win in San Jose, Gauff leveled her head-to-head with Osaka at 2-2, having also beaten the former World No. 1 in Cincinnati last year. The teenager will now take on Paula Badosa for a place in the San Jose semis. Gauff has split her two previous meetings with the Spaniard.
Coco Gauff's 2022 campaign so far
Coco Gauff has had a decent 2022 campaign, winning 27 of her 40 matches., including two at the ongoing Silicon Valley Classic. Although she's yet to win a singles title this year, she reached her first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros, where she lost to top seed Iga Swiatek.
Gauff also reached the quarterfinals at the Qatar Open and the semifinals in Berlin. At the Majors, apart from her French Open run, Gauff lost in the first round at the Australian Open and the third round at Wimbledon.
Gauff will look for some strong displays on the north American hardcourts in the lead-up to the US Open, where she reached the third round on debut three years ago. The World No. 11, for now, will seek her first title of the year and the third of her career at the Silicon Valley Classic.