It was a bold transition into limelight for teenage tennis star, Coco Gauff, as she recorded a breakthrough victory over defending champion Naomi Osaka at the ongoing Australian Open tournament.
Gauff comfortably eased past the Japanese tennis star through an incredible 67-minute 6-3 6-4 victory at the Rod Laver Arena, announcing herself as a future champion the world should beckon.
Osaka, who is world number four on the women ranking, was the favourite to win the match but a couple of unforced errors crashed the Japanese out in the third round of the tourney.
Gauf took the world by surprise when she defeated former world champion Venus William on Monday, January 20, at Margaret Court Arena.
With the victory over Osaka, Gauff is proving a point to the tennis world and nothing proved it more than her reaction after the sensational feat.
“Two years ago I lost in the first round in juniors and now I’m here,” Gauff said at the post-match interview. “I was telling myself one point at a time and keep fighting. You never know what happens on this court.”
Gauff is set to face either Chinese star Zhang Shaui or Sofia Kenin in the fourth round of the tournament.
The mother of one, 38, proved critics wrong after winning the Auckland Open in historical style, beating her fellow American 6-3, 6-4. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion had lost a handful of finals including the Wimbledon in 2018 and US Open final in 2018.
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