Coco Gauff edges past ailing Naomi Osaka at 2024 China Open

Coco Gauff held off an ailing Naomi Osaka under the lights at the 2024 China Open, winning a hard-fought second set before the former world No. 1 was forced to retire with the score tied, 3-6, 6-4.

In her first tournament since linking up with new coach Patrick Mouratoglou, Osaka was looking to score the biggest win of her comeback from maternity leave, but looked under the weather early and despite taking a set and break advantage, Gauff proved too strong and Osaka was forced to retire following the second set on Diamond Court.

"It was a good match up to this point," Gauff said after helping to carry Osaka's bags off court. "I wish Naomi a speedy recovery. Nobody wants to win a match like this, especially at one set all. Overall, I tried my best. It wasn't my best tennis. I don't know, it was just one of those matches where you're trying your best each point."

Osaka later explained she was suffering from a back injury that occurred before the match began.

"I locked my back up during practice earlier and honestly wasn't sure if I could even play but I just wanted to try, unfortunately things just got progressively worse during the match," she shared on social media. "Totally worth it though lol."

Gauff arrived in China after splitting with Brad Gilbert, the coach with whom she won her first WTA 500, WTA 1000 and Grand Slam titles in Washington, D.C., Cincinnati, and the US Open. But the 20-year-old has struggled with her forehand and her serve, striking 19 double faults to end her Open title defense in the fourth round to fellow American Emma Navarro.

Now working with Matt Daly in addition to Jean-Christophe Faurel, the former No. 2 put on steadier performances in her China Open campaign, defeating Clara Burel and No. 26 seed Katie Boulter to face Osaka, who was in the midst of her own coaching change, for the first time since 2022.

Osaka returned to action after over a year off tour to give birth to daughter Shai with renewed perspective and high ambitions, the four-time Grand Slam champion pinning much of her hopes on the US Open after near misses at the first three major tournaments.

“I’m kind of setting myself up for September,” she said after pushing top-ranked Iga Swiatek within a point of defeat at Roland Garros.

I wish Naomi a speedy recovery. Nobody wants to win a match like this, especially at one set all. Coco Gauff

Though she indeed scored her first Top 10 win in over four years in New York—defeating Jelena Ostapenko in two emphatic sets—a second-round exit to Karolina Muchova fell far short of the title runs Osaka achieved in 2018 and 2020, and sent the 26-year-old back to the proverbial drawing board.

She made a big change in her coaching team, swapping out Wim Fissette for Mouratoglou, longtime coach of Serena Williams—a move Osaka herself second-guessed as they began their partnership in September.

“I didn't know if he was a good coach or he coached Serena,” she admitted after her opening-round win in Beijing.

“Then I met him, talked to him, worked with him on the court. He absolutely is a really good coach. I'm really glad that he's, I guess, taking this project on, as well.”

The project has yielded immediate success for Osaka, helping her win three matches in one week for only the second time in 2024 (Rome) and make a strong start against Gauff.

Tied 2-2 in their head-to-head, Osaka made the first move in the opening set to take a 3-1 lead, but showed worrying signs of illness when she lost the break and took a medical timeout during the subsequent changeover. Shaking off the discomfort, the unseeded Osaka settled in and broke again, serving out the set in just under 40 minutes with more winners (nine to seven) and fewer unforced errors (six to ten).

Gauff looked to turn the tide early in the second set, breaking Osaka behind a long second game, but failed to convert four chances for a 3-0 lead and subsequent chances to break in the next game to find herself even at two games apiece.

Frustration led to more struggles on serve for Gauff, who threw in an ill-timed double fault to hand Osaka a chance for a set and a break lead. Osaka gamely pressured the Gauff forehand to convert and put herself two games from the finish line.

On the brink of defeat, Gauff raced through 12 of the next 15 points, forcing a final set as Osaka erred wide off the backhand side. With a decider to be played, Osaka was ultimately unable to continue and Gauff was put through to the last eight, where she will face Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva.

Starodubtseva is enjoying a breakthrough week in Beijing, dismantling No. 10 seed Anna Kalinskaya in straight sets to reach her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal.