WTA Cincinnati: Naomi Osaka cannot compete for the final - Victoria Azarenka for the title without a fight
Naomi Osaka won the title at the WTA Premier Mandatory tournament moved from Cincinnati to New York City. The Japanese defeated Victoria Azarenka with
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Aug 29, 2020, 03:44 pm
On the very last day of the tournament, the women were finally allowed to serve in the Louis Armstrong Stadium. Better safe than sorry, the organizers had probably thought, after all, the second largest stadium in the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in New York City has a flexible roof that had to be closed in the final phase of the men's semi-finals between Novak Djokovic and Roberto Bautista Agut .
Osaka and Azarenka were able to pull through their fourth match against each other in the open air, the favored Japanese won after a playing time of minutes.
In the semifinals Azarenka had to go over three sets against Johanna Konta, Osaka was spared this fate against Elise Mertens after a 1: 4 deficit in the second round.
For Naomi Osaka the title in Cincinnati / New York is the sixth of her career, Azarenka is still at 20. For the US Open starting on Monday you have to have both finalists on the slip: Osaka starts against compatriot Misaki Doi, Azarenka starts against Austria Number one Barbara Haas.