US Open 2018: Naomi Osaka creates history for Japan as she sets up final clash with Serena Williams
20-year-old Naomi Osaka etched her name in record books as she made her way through to the final of the US Open 2018 in New York on Thursday. The youngster became the first Japanese woman in the Open Era to reach a singles final in a Major as she blasted her way past the 2017 runner-up Madison Keys 6-2, 6-4.
Waiting for Osaka in the summit clash on Saturday will be 23-time Grand Slam champion, Serena Williams, who made short work of Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 6-0.
Osaka, seeded 20th in the final Slam of the season, had lost both her meetings to Keys prior to this latest showdown. Despite her losing record, she remained unfazed and never allowed her American opponent to convert any of the 13 break points she earned.
The difference in the break point conversion rate between the two players was what ultimately tilted the balance towards the Japanese. In contrast to Keys’ missed opportunities, Osaka made use of three of the four break points that she was presented with, slamming shut whatever little hope the 14th seed had.
It was the 2018 French Open semi-finalist who had the first chance to break in the fourth game of the first set, with Osaka staring at 0-40 on her serve. Failure on her part only invigorated the Japanese, who broke Keys in the very next game, and the complexion of the match did not change thereafter.
Osaka had been touted to be a future Slam champion for quite some time. It was not until the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in March this year that Osaka showed what she is truly capable of. Riding on a giant-killing run, she went on to claim her maiden WTA title.
She continued her confident show even at the following tournament in Miami where she accounted for none other than Serena Williams, the very player she will face in the biggest final of her young career.
The former World No. 1, seeded 17th at this event, had a sluggish start to her semi-final against the 19th seeded Sevastova as she dropped her serve in the first game of the match. Williams raised her level soon after and immediately levelled the match.
There was no further blip from Serena, who started looking menacing as the match progressed. Pounding 31 winners past the Latvian, the 36-year-old raced into her ninth US Open final.
Having squandered a golden opportunity to equal Margaret Court’s record haul of 24 Slam titles at Wimbledon, Serena gets another chance to do so, and this time, it will be in front of her home crowd, who haven’t witnessed their favourite lift the trophy since 2014.