The new 2020 tennis season is underway with all the attention drawn to the ongoing Australian Open. In the women’s singles Naomi Osaka, Aussie Open reigning champion has started her title defense on the right track. The Japanese youngster kicked off her campaign by winning her first two games of the tournament. She will play Coco Gauff, who has been off to a great start in the first Grand Slam of the year.
Naomi Osaka will be hoping that this season turns out to be fair on her side. Last season it was a mixture of up and downs. She won the Australian Open but what followed was a series of several poor performances. Osaka also called it quits with her coach Sascha Bajin, after winning the Grand Slam.
Naomi Osaka bounced back in a fine fashion
The Japanese took some time to evaluate herself. She admitted having learnt a lot during her toughest months of playing tennis. Fortunately, her reality check exercise paid off. She came back stronger clinching two titles in Osaka and Beijing. Besides, she was named the September 2019 player of the month. She qualified for the 2019 WTA Finals in Shenzhen, but a shoulder injury forced her to withdraw from the season-ending showpiece. The 22-year-old finished the 2019 season at number three at the WTA world rankings.
Osaka’s great run towards the end of 2019 season seems to have stretched into 2020. She is already reached the third round of the Australian Open. The current world No.4 aims to retain this title. However, she admitted that it wouldn’t be easy.
Naomi Osaka vs. Coco Gauff H2H and prediction
Naomi Osaka will play Coco Gauff in the 3rd round of Australian Open. The 15-year-old came from a set down to beat Sorana Cirstea 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the second round of this tournament. In her first match, she stunned Venus Williams 7-6(5), 6-3.
The two hot prospects in tennis will be meeting for the second time. They first faced off in the 2019 US Open, where Osaka proved hard to beat (6-3 6-0 was the result). But her kind gesture to invite Coco Gauff for the post-match interview was an actual display of sportsmanship. In this second encounter, Osaka has an upper hand of winning all the three sets. The Japanese is ranked 3rd while the 15-year-old is at 67th position.
Osaka at the Australian Open, ranking, and results in 2020
Now ranked no.4, Osaka has a 5-1 win-loss record in 2020. Osaka is currently having a run at the Australian Open where she bested Marie Bouzkova 6-2 6-4 and Saisai Zheng 6-2 6-4.
Naomi Osaka will take on Gauff in the 3rd round. The head to head is 1-0 for Osaka.
The last time that they fought against each other, Osaka won 6-3 6-0 in the 3rd round in New York (U.S. Open) in August 2019.
Osaka won 5 titles in her career: all of them conquered on hard courts. (See the list of her titles)
Gauff at the Australian Open, ranking, and results in 2020
Currently the world no.67, Cori has a 3-1 win-loss record in 2020. The American is now playing at the Australian Open where she toppled Venus Williams 7-65 6-3 and Sorana Cirstea 4-6 6-3 7-5.
Cori Gauff will play Osaka in the 3rd round. The head to head is 1-0 for Osaka.
The last time that they competed against each other, Osaka won 6-3 6-0 in the 3rd round in New York (U.S. Open) in August 2019.
Naomi Osaka and Cori Gauff played each other 1 time. The head to head is 1-0 for Osaka.
The last time that they locked horns, Naomi Osaka won 6-3 6-0 in the 3rd round in New York (U.S. Open) in August 2019.
In the following video you can watch the key moments of their match.
Naomi Osaka and Cori Gauff |
| Embed from Getty Images |
