Coco Gauff capitalised on a fast start in the Australian Open third round in Melbourne to knock out holder Naomi Osaka in straight sets.
The teenager broke the serve of the reigning champion in the first set to take the opener 6-3, and never looked back from there.
COCO 💙@CocoGauff | #AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/KhU57zsiXS
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2020
Gauff had a perfect start to the second set breaking Osaka in the first game. The emerging star couldn't immediately capitalise as Osaka broke straight back to level the set at 1-1.
The pair both held a service game before Gauff broke the Champion again, before holding serve to take a 5-3 advantage in the set.
Desperation
Osaka held serve for 5-4, but Gauff was serving for the set. Osaka smashed her racquet in frustration as she gave up another unforced error in what turned out to be the final game of the match.
Osaka smashed another return long before desperately reviewing an umpire's call that was clearly out.
The writing was on the wall as Coco Gauff served at 40-0. The service was good, Osaka hit another unforced error into the net and the teenager is through to the fourth round.
Coco Gauff's achievement will fittingly grab the headlines, but Osaka was as bad as Gauff was good. The 2019 champion delivered 30 unforced errors, in just 19 games lasting a little over an hour.
On the day Serena Williams bowed out at the same stage of the competition, the win felt like a changing of the American tennis guard.
After the game Gauff thanked the crowd, she couldn't believe the turnaround "two years ago, I lost first round of the juniors," as she contemplated "what is my life?"
Next up for the American, who only turns 16 in March, will be a fourth-round clash against either Chinese player Zhang Shuai or compatriot Sofia Kenin.
A Grand Slam semi-final is never easy but should Gauff progress to the last four, number one seed Ashleigh Barty will be waiting for the teenager, should she see off Karolina Pliskova.
