👋 Welcome back to The Daily Theory, our morning rundown to help you stay on top of your favorite sport. I’m Allen McDuffee, your guide to all things tennis.

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Let’s tennis!

Three Points

🎾 The match we wanted: Coco Gauff vs. Naomi Osaka. When the U.S. Open released the draws 10 days ago, that quickly became one of the most highly anticipated matches of the tournament. It was a decisive win for Osaka, 6-3, 6-2, but it was an entertaining match, filled with high-quality points.

  • What she said: “For me the main thing I want to take away from this tournament is just smiling and having fun,” Osaka said in her post-match news conference. “I know in my first round I was too nervous to smile, and my match against Kasatkina was just really not smiley at all.” She added: “Going into this match, I just wanted to be grateful.”
  • And what she said: “After the match, I was really disappointed. Kind of broke down to my team,” Gauff said after the match. “Then, hearing their perspectives and everything, it definitely is a lot of positive things.”
  • Those positive things: Yes, Coco Gauff’s serve needs work. But there was significant progress going from pre-U.S. Open to the final service game against Osaka. That’s because she has been breaking down and rebuilding her serve in the middle of a major! That’s insanely hard to do. Hell, it’s insanely hard to want to do. For the first time in a long time, there’s a path forward on her serve. She proved it in just a few days.
  • Speaking of positivity: Osaka's lightness of being translated into some incredible tennis. From the very first moment, no matter who won the point, she looked like she was having the time of her life. And it carried through in how she moved on the court, how she swung at the ball, and how she constructed points. If she maintains this, there is absolutely no reason she can’t win the tournament.
  • Next: Osaka faces Karolina Muchova in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

🎾 The Felix we’ve been waiting for: Fighting a record of 1-7 against Andrey Rublev, Felix Auger-Aliassime took to the court on Monday without a hint of that burden. He needed just two hours and 16 minutes and three sets to defeat the world number 15, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4.

  • What he said: “At the start I missed a few [forehands], I sprayed a few kind of far, but then I believed that it was just a question of time that I’m going to start hitting my targets,” Auger-Aliassime said after the match. “Once I did, it became very difficult for him.”
  • An assessment: This U.S. Open, Felix just looks like he has a whole new level of clarity on what he’s trying to do when he steps on the court, starts a point, and closes out a match. It’s an impressive thing to witness.
  • Next: Felix Auger-Aliassime faces Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

🎾 Double up: Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez are into the quarterfinals of the women’s doubles draw after taking out yet another seeded team in straight sets on Monday. Simply, it was a masterclass in doubles. “We’re on the same wavelength, and hopefully we can keep it going,” Williams said after the match.

  • What she said: “I have full confidence in Venus, and I hope she has full confidence in me during our match,” Fernandez said of her partner twice her age. “We’re just going out there, playing our game: Be offensive, aggressive, and ready for the ball.”
  • Notes from Serena: “She gave me a pep talk and made sure to call me today. I was, like,‘You’re right. I got it. I got it,’” Venus said. “She’s definitely coaching from afar. She’s so excited. She gets so nervous watching, and she’s got the kids watching. They’re all at home, just really on our side.”
  • An appearance?: Venus challenged Serena to “show up.” But will she? Magic 8 Ball says: Not likely. But we’d be fools to think we know what these two have in store for us.
  • The big picture: The thing I keep thinking about with this partnership is how much Venus must be inspiring Leylah — not just in her tennis, but taking action for what is right in tennis, in women’s sports, and in the world. I’m certain Leylah will be a different human after this week.
  • Next: Fernandez and Williams face top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend in what could be the blockbuster match of the day on Tuesday.