How Naomi Osaka Got All the Way Back

On most courts, Naomi Osaka is the fan favorite. But the past few years, since her return to tennis after having a kid, she’s played on smaller courts. At the US Open, she had been assigned to Louis Armstrong Stadium—the second biggest arena at the tournament, but nothing compared to the huge, thunderous platform of Arthur Ashe Stadium. For her fourth-round match, it was the strength and popularity of her opponent, Coco Gauff, the world’s highest ranked American, that set up the Open’s most anticipated clash so far on its biggest stage.