US Open: Naomi Osaka vs. Coco Gauff: Big sister, little sister

Billie Jean Bling, Arthur Flash, and La-Billie-Bu now have their own credentials for the US Open; and why not? Naomi Osaka's plush toys are the stars in New York; the Japanese tennis player has always worn a Labubu to match her outfit at her performances. She later gave Saturday's Labubu (La-Billie-Bu) to Billie Jean King, who had requested one. The Labubu hype is just beginning to take off in Germany; in New York, you'll be approached fifty times a day if you have one dangling from your bag.

Sure, you could also find it completely stupid; ultimately, that's Osaka's story. The 27-year-old is a very good player, fit – and when she's at her best, the four-time Grand Slam winner is almost unstoppable, as the 15th-seeded Australian Daria Kasatkina found out on Saturday: she was 6-0 up after just 23 minutes. But when Osaka starts to wobble, it's as if there was an earthquake of magnitude 8.0. Like in the second set, when she completely lost control and later said: "I started to shake quite a bit because I got so worked up about it; but that's entertaining, hopefully." In the third set, she was confident and unstoppable again, "because the people were so into it." Often, the difference between feeling good and feeling desperate is just a rally, sometimes even just a stroke for Osaka.

In the round of 16, her first since the 2021 Australian Open, the two-time US Open champion (2018, 2022) will face Coco Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, in prime time on Labor Day.

Gauff is even slightly more popular with New Yorkers than Billie Jean Bling, Arthur Flash, and La-Billie-Bu; which brings us to the story of this match: Both Gauff and Osaka are not just tennis professionals, but brands in the entertainment industry of professional sports. They model their sponsors' clothes; they are expected to speak out on social issues like racism – this year marks 75 years since the first person of color competed at the highest level; the poster shows silhouettes of Althea Gibson. Gauff and Osaka are expected to entertain with magnificent performances, but not with 6-0, 6-0 bores, please. Therefore, both are always put in the brightest spotlight for maximum drama: Gauff's tears during the second-round match after double faults because, as she said afterward, "the pressure and everything that's being imposed on me in the tournament – ​​more than usual; and more than I expected."

Osaka has long been familiar with all this. Her 2018 US Open triumph against Serena Williams in the final was an emotional journey to Mars and back. Since then, she has repeatedly spoken movingly about the negative aspects of her profession; just two weeks ago, she experienced a complete breakdown in the Montreal final, revealing a deep insight into her own soul. As an observer, one repeatedly asked oneself: Shouldn't she be doing something else with her life if everything is too stressful? "I sometimes feel like I'm a different person on the court," Osaka said herself on Saturday.

It's not that simple. The conclusion of a recently published study on tennis by sports psychologist Amanda Visek : One of the greatest joys for athletes is mastering the mental aspects – and the positive aspects don't have much to do with triumphs or prize money; more important are the cheers of spectators, the respect of colleagues, and the recognition of friends and coaches. The problem is: You only experience all of that while you're in the game, just as Osaka is only allowed to show off outfits and Labubus while she's in the tournament.

The duel between Gauff and Osaka is certainly no ordinary one. Both know exactly how the other is feeling, and they also know what a tournament like the US Open can do to someone. Gauff even referred to Osaka as "my little sister"; the moment at the 2019 US Open, when Osaka literally beat the then 15-year-old, is unforgettable – and told her on the court that she shouldn't be ashamed of her tears, but should instead do an interview with her. The result for both: cheers from the spectators, respect from colleagues, recognition from friends and coaches – what you want as an athlete.

Another thing they have in common: They both swapped coaches shortly before the tournament: Gauff for her serving technique, Osaka for more joy in her game. Not everything has been going well for either of them so far, but they have fought their way into the round of 16. Gauff said her serve is "on the up"; Osaka explained that her coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski, who had been rather intimidating at the beginning of their partnership, now has "a friendly smile" and actually uses it frequently. Osaka has undoubtedly rediscovered her cheerfulness. "Can someone please come and cheer me on?" she asked amusedly on Saturday.