Coco Gauff believes better times lie ahead despite a chastening loss to a resurgent Naomi Osaka in the fourth round of the US Open.

This was the most anticipated match of the tournament so far but it lasted only 64 minutes, with Osaka racing to a 6-3 6-2 victory for her biggest grand slam result in more than four years.

While the Japanese star produced a strong performance, losing just six points on serve in the contest, this was a horror show from Gauff in front of her home fans, the American making 33 unforced errors and crashing out in the fourth round for the second year in a row.

Gauff won her second grand slam title at the French Open in June but has struggled since with serving problems, something she has been trying to address during the tournament with the help of biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan.

It has taken its toll on the 21-year-old, who was in tears during and after her second-round win over Donna Vekic, and she admitted she broke down again in front of her team after rushing off Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“Naomi played well,” said Gauff. “Today was disappointing because I felt it was the best I served all tournament. Off the ground I think I just made way too many mistakes.

“I feel like that’s the part of my game that I felt the most confident in coming into the tournament. So it was kind of a weird match, feeling confident in different areas swapping.

“For sure it was not the level that I wanted to bring, but it is a step in the right direction I feel, and I think, emotionally, how much this week was, I think today I just stepped in and I maybe was a little bit empty.

“Today I’m excited because I’m, like, ‘OK, if I can serve well and also return well enough, then it’s going to be pretty good for me’. I think there’s a lot of positives to take from this tournament, and I’m trying to be positive in front of you guys.

“I promise you that I don’t feel that way right now, but I am not going to let this crush me. I look forward to the future and making more improvements. Hopefully next year I can grow a lot as a player and as a person.”

It was six years ago that a 15-year-old Gauff, with the eyes of the world on her following her breakthrough run to the fourth round of Wimbledon, was swatted aside by Osaka in New York, leaving the teenager in tears on court.

There has been much water under the bridge for both since, with Gauff elevating herself to the top of the game and winning two grand slam titles while Osaka increased her tally to four before struggles with her mental health and time away to have her first child.

Finally, things appear to be clicking again for Osaka, who is back in the top 30 and had made it through to this stage at a slam for the first time since her most recent title at the Australian Open back in 2021.

Osaka has not been this far in New York for five years and the rest of the women’s field will now be on notice – the 27-year-old has never lost at a grand slam when she has reached the quarter-finals.

Addressing that record, she said: “I wouldn’t say it gives me pressure or confidence. I think for me, this is kind of uncharted territory at this point of my career.

“I’m just enjoying it. I’m having fun. I’m being able to play against the best players in the world. If you were to ask me what was the most exciting thing from today, I think it’s that I don’t need a wild card to enter tournaments anymore.

“I was in the stands two months after giving birth to my daughter watching Coco and I really wanted an opportunity to come out and play. It’s my favourite court in the world and it means so much to be back out here.”

Iga Swiatek, meanwhile, extended her winning run at grand slams to 11 matches with a 6-3 6-1 demolition of 13th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.

The Wimbledon champion has had some tough matches in New York but this was a one-sided affair, with the Pole wrapping up victory in just 64 minutes.

Osaka will next face Czech Karolina Muchova, who battled to a 6-3 6-7 (0) 6-3 victory over Marta Kostyuk to reach the quarter-finals here for the third year in a row.