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Coco Gauff advanced to the quarterfinals of the China Open after Naomi Osaka was forced to retire due to a back injury following a tightly contested second set on Tuesday. The match ended with a 3-6, 6-4 scoreline, tied at one set apiece before Osaka could not continue.
“It was a good match up to this point,” Gauff said post-match, as reported by David Kane of Tennis.com. “I wish Naomi a speedy recovery. Nobody wants to win a match like this, especially at one set all. Overall, I tried my best. It wasn't my best tennis. I don't know, it was just one of those matches where you're trying your best each point.”
Osaka, who recently returned to the court after maternity leave, had been showing promise under her new coach, Patrick Mouratoglou. The former world No. 1 was hoping for a deep run in Beijing but struggled with a back injury that ultimately derailed her progress. On social media, Osaka explained her condition, saying, “I locked my back up during practice earlier and honestly wasn't sure if I could even play but I just wanted to try. Unfortunately, things just got progressively worse during the match.”
“Totally worth it though,” she added, “lol.”
Gauff, despite dealing with her own challenges after a fourth-round exit at the U.S. Open, managed to grind through Osaka’s resilience. The American star had recently split with coach Brad Gilbert and is now working with Matt Daly and Jean-Christophe Faurel. Gauff's performance in the second set proved pivotal, as she fought off Osaka’s break advantage, capitalizing on her opponent’s increasing discomfort.
The match marks their first meeting since 2022, with the head-to-head now favoring Gauff 3-2. Despite the circumstances of her win, Gauff acknowledged Osaka’s strength and looked ahead to the quarterfinals, where she will face Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva.
