NEW YORK — In the end, it was exactly what you’d expect from a U.S. Open match pitting the world No. 1 against a player yet to celebrate her Sweet 16. Defending champion Naomi Osaka drubbed 15-year-old sensation Coco Gauff at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday, advancing to the tournament’s fourth round with a dominant 6–3, 6–0 victory.
But Saturday’s match was anything but routine. It was, by far, the most highly-anticipated match of the tournament’s first week, with an atmosphere that felt more like a final than a third-round match. It ended with a touching moment of sportsmanship.