Coco Gauff has been praised for her sportsmanship after she walked off the court with an injured Naomi Osaka at the China Open.
The fourth-round match was set to go into a third set after Gauff won the second 6-4. Osaka had taken the opening set 6-3 but the Japan-born player was soon forced to retire with a lower back injury.
After securing her place in the quarterfinals, Gauff gave her opponent a hug and offered to carry her bag off the court.
The world No 6 also asked Osaka if she was okay before accompanying her off the court.
Fans were hugely touched by the exchange and took to social media to heap praise on Gauff.
Coco Gauff walked off the court with Naomi Osaka in China after she retired with an injury
Gauff could be heard offering to carry Osaka’s bags for her after she injured her back
‘She is a true hero,’ one wrote. ‘This is the sweetest moment,’ another said.
‘When my 6 year old daughter asks me about role models… this is the sort of thing I will show her. Classy classy lady @CocoGauff,’ a third added.
‘Both of these women are class off and on the court,’ a fourth said.
Gauff will now face Ukraine’s Yulia Starodubtsewa in the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Osaka, meanwhile, missed the 2023 season due to maternity leave but is beginning to show glimpses of the ability that landed her four Grand Slam titles.
She comfortably beat then-world No 10 Jelena Ostapenko in the first round of the US Open and beat world No 21 Yulia Putintseva on Friday in China.
