Is the much-anticipated moment finally here? As the tennis season nears its end, fans might have thought the excitement had peaked—but the Asian swing has plenty of surprises left. The latest buzz from the China Open has tennis enthusiasts on the edge of their seats for one big reason: a potential clash between Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff! With both stars returning to form, the prospect of these two powerhouses facing off is sending waves through the tennis world. 

Both Osaka and Gauff have cruised to the third round at the China Open. They have depicted some sensational skills in the tournament and have looked in great rhythm. While the American star will be facing her British counterpart Katie Boulter in the next round, Osaka will be facing Katie Volynets. If they manage to outshine their opponents in the third round, Gauff and Osaka will face each other in a much-awaited clash. 

Remember, Osaka and Gauff are considered to be a developing rivalry in the tennis corridors. The duo have faced each other 4 times on the WTA circuit and have a head-to-head tally of 2-2. However, the last time they faced each other was way back in 2022, after which Osaka took a hiatus owing to her pregnancy and the current season has not seen them clash so far. The thrill of the match can reach its peak especially because of the coaching changes that both players have witnessed recently. 

Osaka parted ways with her long-time coach Wim Fissette and partnered with the Frenchman Patrick Mouratoglou in a remarkable decision. Similarly, Gauff split with Brad Gilbert and joined forces with Matt Daly. Now with Mouratoglou on Osaka’s side, Gauff will have to be wary of the Japanese star. Osaka herself recently highlighted that she considers Mouratoglou to be the person best fit to help her overcome her struggles. Will we witness the thrilling showdown between Gauff and Osaka though? The chances are quite high.

Osaka and Gauff have an upper hand in the next round of the tournament. While Gauff has a leveled head-to-head tally of 1-1 against Boulter, she has proven to be slightly more dominant on the hard courts as well, as compared fo Boulter. The American star has won 23 of her 31 matches on the hard courts as against 16 of 23 matches of Boulter. Besides, in the recently concluded US Open, Boulter was ousted in the second round itself as opposed to Gauff’s campaign which went till the fourth round.

Osaka also has odds in her favor ahead of her next match. The Japanese star has won four grand slams, all on the hard courts, be it the US Open or the Australian Open, which speaks volumes about her strength on the hard courts in general. Besides, she has depicted some great potential in her current campaign at the China Open and has ousted a much higher-ranked player Yulia Putintseva in the second round. While the buzz of her potential match up against Gauff is taking center stage, it must be noted that Osaka has often heaped praise on her American counterpart.

“She’s doing a great job,” When Naomi Osaka was all praises for Coco Gauff

The latest edition of the US Open brought some emotional moments for both Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff. While Osaka returned to one of her most successful venues after a long hiatus, for Gauff, it was about overcoming the pressure and defending her title. Although both players could not clinch the title eventually, Osaka heaped praise on the American star. 

Speaking about Gauff at the US Open, Osaka said, “I think she’s doing a great job. Like, she’s really consistent. She’s number two right now, right? Three? That’s still really good.” Continuing further, she expressed her fascination about watching Gauff play. “I just really enjoy watching her progress and her process. I feel like everyone’s life is their own journey, and it’s fun to watch hers. She’s got a really good head on her shoulders.”

For now, it would be interesting to see if these two players engage in a thrilling encounter in Beijing. Will the China Open bring the most-awaited moment for tennis enthusiasts? Well, only time will tell.