Osaka beats Gauff at Cincinnati

Japan’s Naomi Osaka battled back to take a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over American Coco Gauff on Wednesday and advance into the third round of the WTA Cincinnati Masters.

Four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka is playing her first event since the Games, where she went out in the third round.

Gauff had won the pair’s most recent prior match in the third round of the 2020 Australian Open after losing a year earlier at the US Open.

Osaka said the early stage of the match saw her trying various things in her first match outside Tokyo since Roland Garros.

Osaka said victory “means a lot to me, especially coming off Tokyo. She’s not my favorite to play. It’s very straining mentally.” – AFP