US Open: Osaka and Azarenka in the final - Serena has to wait
Naomi Osaka and Victoria Azarenka will play the final of the US Open 2020. Both had to go over three sets in the semifinals: Osaka against Jennifer Brady , Azarenka against Serena Williams .
by SID
last edit: Sep 11, 2020, 06:29 am
Serena Williams failed again in her hunt for the 24th title in a Grand Slam. In the semifinals of the US Open, the 38-year-old American lost 6: 1, 3: 6, 3: 6 after a strong first set to the two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka. Williams had won her last title so far in one of the four major tournaments in 2017 at the Australian Open. Now she missed the record of the Australian Margaret Court in the ninth Grand Slam in a row.
Azarenka, on the other hand, is after her fifth win in the 23rd duel with Williams for the third time after 2012 and 2013 in the final of the US Open. There she meets Naomi Osaka from Japan on Saturday (10 p.m. CEST / Eurosport). The winner of the US Open in 2018 and the Australian Open in 2019 had won her semi-finals 7: 6 (7: 1), 3: 6, 6: 3 against Angelique Kerber's conqueror Jennifer Brady (USA).
"I'm so grateful for this opportunity," said Azarenka after the match. In the duel between the mothers, the unseeded Belarusian, winner of the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013, initially did not have her nerves under control. Williams dominated the match. "She dug a deep hole for me," said Azarenka. From the second set, however, the 31-year-old was transformed, played more courageously and confidently and gave her opponent no chance.
Naomi Osaka unbeaten in two major finals
Osaka has so far stood in a Grand Slam final twice - and won twice: Her first major triumph was at the US Open in 2018 in a memorable match against Serena Williams (6: 2, 6: 4), which was marked by discussions between the American and the referee. Osaka then won the final of the Australian Open 2019 against the Czech Petra Kvitova. Before and after that, she had not made it past the round of 16 at the Grand Slams.
"It means a lot to me. New York is my second home. I love the atmosphere here," said Osaka after reaching the final. In protest against racism and police violence in the US, the Japanese wore a mask with the name of Philando Castile before and after the match: The black man was shot by a police officer in July 2016 at a traffic stop in Minnesota.
With Brady, who is trained by the German Michael Geserer, the 23-year-old Osaka delivered a high-class and balanced exchange of blows. As the first player, she was able to take a set from the American in the course of the tournament without first earning a breakball. Osaka used their first break chance to take a 3-1 lead in the decisive third set and then dominated the match. After 2:08 hours, their entry into the final was certain.