Melbourne (AFP)
Title holder Naomi Osaka (4th in the world) was eliminated in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday by the youngest player in the table, Coco Gauff (67th to 15 years old), 6-3, 6-4.
Osaka has not gone past the 4th round of a Grand Slam tournament (US Open 2019) since winning the US Open 2018 and the Australian Open 2019 in quick succession.
Gauff, who had already beaten his American compatriot Venus Williams in the first round, will face China's Zhang Shuai (35th) or another American, Sofia Kenin (15th), for a place in the quarterfinals.
She had never played the main draw before in Melbourne, but had already reached the knockout stages of a Grand Slam tournament last year at Wimbledon where she had made a name for herself by dominating, already, l elder of the Williams sisters.
"Two years ago, I lost in the first round of the junior tournament and here I am today, it's crazy!" She exclaimed.
"I just said to myself that I had to play point by point and that I keep fighting because you never know what can happen on a tennis court," she added after having clearly dominated the former world No.1 on court Rod Laver, named after the Australian champion, the only player to have succeeded in the Grand Slam ... twice.
"I have never met Rod Laver, but we would have to organize an appointment, I need a selfie with him for Instagram," launched the teenager.
© 2020 AFP