Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff teach a lesson in humility and sportsmanship
9:03 pm | August 31, 2019 | Go to Source | Author:
11:59 PM ET
D’Arcy MaineESPN
After her latest Cinderella run came to a crashing halt in 65 devastating minutes, Coco Gauff walked to her chair on the sideline at Arthur Ashe Stadium and desperately tried not to cry in front of 23,000 fans. For the first time in a summer full of firsts, she looked her 15 years. The tears started streaming down her face, no matter how hard she had tried to suppress them. She had lost in the third round at the US Open, after two impressive wins to start the tournament and an earlier fourth-round appearance at Wimbledon, and her disappointment was painfully clear.
Then, seemingly without a moment of hesitation, Naomi Osaka, the very woman who had handed her a 6-3, 6-0 loss Saturday night, came over to console her and tell her it was all right to cry — better to do it on the court than alone in the shower in the locker room. It was something Osaka said she knew from experience.
Osaka, who had just won the match in convincing fashion, then insisted Gauff be a part of her postmatch on-court interview, typically reserved for only the winning player. The two bright young stars were both overcome with emotions as they talked to ESPN’s Mary Joe Fernandez. The crowd was captivated, seemingly frozen in their seats by what they were seeing.
“She did amazing, and I’m going to learn a lot from this match,” a still-tearful Gauff said, before turning to look at Osaka. “She’s been so sweet to me, so thank you for this. Thank you.”