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Coco Gauff left 'empty' but is not going to let US Open fourth-round defeat to Naomi Osaka in New York 'crush' her

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Coco Gauff crashed out of the US Open in the fourth round, losing in straight sets to Naomi Osaka. The American endured a difficult run in New York - the scene of her maiden Grand Slam triumph - and came unstuck against a resurgent Osaka. It was a chastening 6-3 6-2 defeat for the 21-year-old, who vows she will not let the result "crush" her as she seeks to make improvements to her serve.

Highlights: Osaka breezes past Gauff, Swiatek also advances

Video credit: SNTV

Coco Gauff did not have the US Open campaign she might have hoped, winning three rounds in differing circumstances before losing to Naomi Osaka in straight sets.

Osaka triumphed 6-3 6-2 in just over an hour to make the quarter-finals, leaving Gauff with more questions than answers as she begins to think about the rest of her season.

The American's serve has been her biggest cause of concern, this time sending down five double faults, to go with the four she managed in the third round and eight against Donna Vekic in round two, a match that saw Gauff in tears at points on the court.

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Since winning her second Slam at Roland-Garros earlier this year, Gauff has crashed out in the first round at Wimbledon, and has only made one quarter-final, in Cincinnati.

"I feel like I put so much pressure on myself at my age of 21, and I realise how much the girls on tour are being successful at 25, 26, at those ages," Gauff said after the match.

"For me, it just gets me excited to realise if I have four more years of just working as hard as I am right now and actually doing the right things, where my game could be."

Gauff was taken to three sets in her opening-round match against Ajla Tomljanovic, before admitting that she was feeling the pressure against Vekic in the second round.

Although she pulled through on that occasion, crediting Simone Biles in the crowd for inspiring her, Gauff could not find her top form against former Grand Slam champion Osaka.

"It’s disappointing. For sure, it was not the level that I wanted to bring, but it is a step in the right direction, I feel. I maybe was a little bit empty - she forced me to earn every point out there today," Gauff added.

"I’m trying to be positive in front of you guys. I promise you that I don’t feel that way right now, but I am not going to let this crush me.

"I look forward to the future and making more improvements. Hopefully, next year I can grow a lot as a player and as a person."

Gauff appointed biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan on the eve of the tournament in a bid to arrest the decline that has seen double faults creep more and more into her game.

Naomi Osaka of Japan embraces Coco Gauff of the United States after their Women's Singles Fourth Round match

Image credit: Getty Images

"I think where my serve started from the start of the tournament to today was a big improvement. I feel like now I just have to get everything to work together."

With the Grand Slams come and gone for her this season, the American seems content not to chase results but rather work on her game, looking ahead to 2026.

"I know the improvements that I need to make, and I feel like I’m making the right decision by making them. I wish I had more time between this tournament and Cincinnati, but that’s the cards that I was given.

"Whatever happens for the rest of the year, I just want it to be improvement. I don’t care about results.

"I think where my serve started from the start of the tournament to today was a big improvement. I feel like now I just have to get everything to work together."

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