"Black girls dominating a sport that didn’t want them dominating the sport, my dream" - Tennis fans react to Coco Gauff defeating Naomi Osaka in exciting contest at Silicon Valley Classic

Coco Gauff booked her spot in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Silicon Valley Classic on Thursday, dominating Naomi Osaka in straight sets. Although the American needed eight match points to dispose of the four-time Grand Slam champion, she eventually pulled through with a 6-4, 6-4 win.

In the most highly anticipated clash of the tournament, the 18-year-old proved to be the better player by quite a distance, as Osaka's lack of match practice caught up with her during the important moments. An error-prone display from the Japanese, combined with some big hitting from Gauff, ensured that the sixth seed never looked in trouble at any point in the match.

Tennis fans on social media were more than impressed with the young American's display on the night, praising her for the composure she showed against a seasoned veteran like Osaka.

In general, users on Twitter were very happy with the way the encounter unfolded, opining that it was great to see two players of Black descent showcase that they belong at the highest level in a sport that has ignored them for too long.

One user thought the same, tweeting:

"Black girls dominating a sport that didn’t want them dominating the sport. My dream."

Another fan was all praise for the World No. 11, remarking that she was close to being unbeatable when she was playing at her very best, and tweeted:

"Gauff dictates whenever she can and defends with furious footwork and crisply controlled depth. Osaka misses way too many backhands."

One Twitter user was satisfied with Osaka's performance as well, stating that, despite some rustiness, she showed signs that she was slowly getting back on track after a topsy-turvy last few months on the WTA tour. The tweet read:

"Stirring battle in San Jose as Naomi Osaka saves 7 MP's from 1-5 before succumbing to Coco Gauff's superior play on the night 6-4, 6-4. Coco's improvement continues apace but great to see Osaka focused & committed. This is the rivalry to watch."

Here are a few more reactions from fans:

Coco Gauff takes on Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals of the Silicon Valley Classic

Coco Gauff takes on Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals in San Jose

Following her victory over Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff will lock horns with second seed Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Silicon Valley Classic. The Spaniard defeated Elizabeth Mandlik in the second round to set up a meeting with the teenager.

The duo have met twice on the WTA tour before, with their head-to-head record tied at 1-1. Badosa won their first fixture at the 2021 Indian Wells Open, while the American turned victor in their most recent encounter at the Qatar Open earlier this year. The winner of the clash will take on either Daria Kasatkina or Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals.