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Osaka consoles Gauff after beating her in New York

By Nina Pantic

NEW YORK—The heavily hyped up showdown between world No. 1 Naomi Osaka and 15-year-old Coco Gauff didn't go quite as planned for the American teenager. Osaka taught the teen a lesson in a 6-3, 6-0 demolition inside Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday night.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 31: Cori Gauff of the United States and Naomi Osaka of Japan speak following their Women's Singles third round match on day six of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 31, 2019 in Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
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She then taught everyone a lesson in class by inviting Gauff to join her for the post-match interview. Gauff was visibly upset by the loss, and Osaka offered her words of encouragement.

"Instead of going into the shower and crying by yourself, just stay here with me," Osaka said. "Trust me I've been there before."

Gauff stood next to Osaka with ESPN's Mary Joe Fernandez,.

"I definitely was wanting to leave the court because I'm not the type of person who wants to cry in front of everyone. I didn't want to take that moment away from her, as well," Gauff said. "I'm happy that she kind of convinced me to do it because, I mean, I'm not used to crying in front of everyone."

"It was amazing," she said of the experience. "She did amazing. I'm going to learn a lot from this match. She’s been so sweet to me."

After Gauff got through her two questions, Osaka shed some of her own tears talking about watching Gauff and her family training at the same courts as her at the Polo Club of Boca Raton.

"For me, the fact that both of us made it, and we're both still working as hard as we can, I think it's incredible," she said. "And I think you guys are amazing and I think, Coco, you're amazing."

In press afterwards, Gauff was able to reflect on the unusual, yet very touching, moments on court.

"I wasn't expecting it. I'm glad that I was able to experience that moment," she said. "She was crying, she won. I was crying. Everybody was crying. But I think it was a good moment for both of us."

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