After claiming an impressive victory over Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka is now one of the Australian Open finalists. By dropping American’s latest search for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.
Three times Slam champion Osaka endured early pressure to win against Serena Williams. Naomi won the game with a score of 6-3 6-4. She is on an unbeaten streak of 20 matches and has never lost a Slam final.
Naomi Osaka will face Jennifer Brady on Saturday in the finals. Jennifer won her last match against Karolina Muchova. Jennifer won the match with scores of 6-4 3-6 6-4 to reach the final. This would be Jennifer Brady’s first-ever Grand Slam final.
It will be a rematch of the US Open semi-final 2020, in which Osaka came over in three sets.
In her match with Serena, Naomi said she was very nervous and scared at the beginning of the match. But as the match went, she eased her way into it.
It’s just it is always an honour to play her, and she didn’t want to go flop. Added Naomi, saying she just wanted to give her best.
It is the first time Serena has lost in the Australian Open in the semi-finals. This was in her total of eight appearances in the last four.
Williams will be left to lament the possibilities she let slip and once again wonder if she will equal Margaret Court’s major record.
Osaka and Williams’ last meeting at the Grand Slam came at the US Open final in 2018. One might remember the match for Williams’ upheaval at the umpire and Osaka’s tears at the presentation ceremony.
Since then, Naomi has won a further two major titles that gave her a rise to number three in the world rankings. Also, she has found more confidence and calmness on the court.
With all her experience, Williams made the better start breaking a nervous Osaka. Before holding her serve to take a 2-0 lead in the first game of the match.
Both Jennifer Brady and Naomi Osaka described their semi-final meetings at the Flushing Meadows as their best matches.
