Naomi Osaka Showed Coco Gauff How to Act Like a True Champion

Teenager Coco Gauff is a young, rising star on the women’s tennis scene. Naomi Osaka is also young but a few years older, and she has more experience in professional competition than Gauff. Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff,

who are both going to be big parts of the sport’s future, played each other at the U.S. Open, and the end of the match brought about a tender moment between the two that should serve as an inspiration for athletes around the world, especially young people.

Naomi Osaka

 

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At just 23 years old, Osaka already has four Grand Slam titles on her ledger, having won the U.S. Open in 2018 and the Australian Open in 2019. Overall, she has three career singles titles on the WTA Tour and is the world No. 1.

Cori “Coco” Gauff

 

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Gauff is a 17-year-old Florida native who was the world No. 1 in the junior ranks before turning pro in 2018. Her professional career started in May 2018 on the ITF women’s circuit. She won her first professional match and later got a wildcard spot into qualifying for that year’s U.S. Open,

but she failed to make it into the main tournament when she lost her first match. Osaka beat Gauff in straight sets (6-3, 6-0) at the U.S. Open and, sensing the disappointment in her young opponent, did what she could to lessen the blow of the loss.

After the post-match handshake, Osaka urged the teen to stay on the court for an interview. Gauff was hesitant, thinking she would cry if she did it, but Osaka assured her that letting out her emotions in front of an appreciative crowd would be better for her than crying alone in the shower.

Gauff took Osaka’s advice and did the interview with ESPN’s Mary Joe Fernandez, with the crowd cheering her.