- Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff are set to compete at the Silicon Valley Classic on Thursday.
- Ahead of the match, Osaka said "it's only a matter of time" before the 18-year-old Gauff wins a Grand Slam.
Two of the biggest names in women's tennis are set to face off in a blockbuster battle this week.
Naomi Osaka — the four-time Grand Slam champion — and 18-year-old American phenom Coco Gauff will meet in the second round of the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic in San Jose, California, on Thursday. The pair will play for the fourth time in their still-young careers, giving the 11th-ranked Gauff a chance to even their head-to-head record at two wins apiece.
Ahead of the highly anticipated matchup, Osaka lauded Gauff for her rapidly improving play and her "mentality" that allows her to maintain her composure on the court despite her young age. The Japanese superstar even predicted that her teenage foe is on her way to a major title.
"She's been on the tour for a while, and I think people don't know that because of how young she is," Osaka said. "She's improving every year, so I think there's a lot that she's learning.
"It's only a matter of time before she wins a [Grand] Slam," she added.
Gauff has surged in recent months. She advanced all the way to the French Open final in June, where she fell to World No. 1 Iga Swiatek.
A month later, she suffered a hard-fought, three-set loss against fellow American Amanda Anisimova in the third round of Wimbledon. Her WTA singles ranking now sits at its highest-ever position in her career.
Still, Gauff knows that World No. 41 Osaka is a far more formidable opponent than her current ranking — and recent results — might suggest. The 24-year-old is among the most impressive talents in the sport, and Gauff acknowledged as much before their match.
"She's obviously going to be a tough opponent," Gauff said. "Either way, win or lose, I think that the match is going to be great. She's such a champion on and off the court, so I guess those are the type of people that you want to play, and I look forward to playing those matches."
Fans can tune in to watch the star-studded matchup Thursday at 7 p.m. on the Tennis Channel.