Osaka, Gauff welcome US Open 'deja vu' in fourth-round dream match for fans

NEW YORK :Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka's fourth-round U.S. Open showdown will serve as a welcome trip down memory lane for the two fan favourites, as they face off in a match made for prime time on Monday.

Organisers could not have scripted it better for American fans, with a must-watch meeting between two charismatic former champions on the U.S. Labor Day holiday, six years after their memorable first meeting at Flushing Meadows.

The two faced off in the 2019 third round, where legions of domestic fans showed up to watch the then-15-year-old Gauff under the lights in her Arthur Ashe Stadium debut, fresh off her stunning run to the Wimbledon round of 16.

The then-defending champion and world number one made easy work of Gauff 6-3 6-0, but quickly comforted the young American as she dissolved into tears by her bench and urged her to come address the crowd.

Osaka spent much of her own post-match interview watching the crowd cheer wildly for her opponent, a display of stunning good sportsmanship that endures for tennis fans today.

"I remember it was a tough moment for me because it was a hyped-up match. I remember looking back at it. I guess I put way too much pressure on myself," said Gauff, who tamed early tournament nerves to get past Poland's Magdalena Frech 6-3 6-1 and into her fourth consecutive round of 16.

"It would be a cool kind of deja vu type of situation (playing again), but hopefully it will be a different result."

Recalling the encounter, Osaka said on Saturday that it would be special to play Gauff again at Flushing Meadows.

"I remember just knowing that she was going to be a really great tennis player," said the 23rd seed Osaka, who plays for Japan but spent much of her childhood nearby on Long Island and is