Teen Gauff faces showdown with Osaka

PUMPING her fists and screaming “Come on”, 15-year-old American Coco Gauff yesterday became the youngest player to reach the US Open third round since 1996.

Proving her run to the second week of Wimbledon last month was no fluke, Gauff scored a tough 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win over Hungary’s Timea Babos. She will now meet No.1 seed and defending champion Naomi Osaka tomorrow.

“This is just the beginning, I promise,” Gauff told an appreciative crowd that chanted her name at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

“I was tested a lot. I think we were both just testing each other. If I didn’t win that last point, maybe she would have won the match.”

The Floridian is putting together another captivating run, just like she did on the way to the fourth round at Wimbledon last month in her grand slam debut.

“She’s super sweet and I would love to play her, of course,” Osaka said. “For me, when I hear people talking about someone, I want to have the opportunity to play them just to assess it for myself.”

Gauff meanwhile did not want to talk about what will be the biggest test of her career, saying only: “I don’t have any thoughts right now. I am playing doubles tomorrow and on Saturday I am going to think about the match.”

Another young American, Taylor Townsend, also made slam waves in completing a 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) upset of two-time major champion Simona Halep. Townsend, 23, a qualifier ranked 116th, clenched her fists, raised her arms and yelled, “Yes! Yes!” before patting her heart.