The US Open women’s semi-finals are set, with Naomi Osaka taking on Jennifer Brady and Serena Williams facing Victoria Azarenka.
Despite six of the top-10 WTA stars opting to skip the event, it’s been a high-quality affair and both semi-finals promise to follow in the same vein.
Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam champion from the USA, and Osaka, a two-time major winner from Japan, are both former US Open winners, while Azarenka is a two-time finalist.
Brady is the outlier. This is her first Slam semi-final but she has already proven she’s no pushover, winning 10 of her last 11 matches.
All four are in great form. All four play their own exciting brand of world-class tennis. Thursday night on Arthur Ashe should be special.
Here we take a look at both match-ups and predict who will reach the final…
Naomi Osaka vs Jennifer Brady
Two of the most in-form players since the WTA Tour resumed, they have lost one match between them,
Brady was on fire on her return to action in Lexington, winning the Top Seed Open without dropping a set, and she has continued that remarkable form in New York by reaching a first-Grand Slam semi-final, again, without losing a set.
Osaka returned at the Western & Southern Open where she remained unbeaten before being forced to withdraw from the final, against Azarenka, due to a hamstring injury.
It hasn’t hampered her performances so far at Flushing Meadows, however, and she has reached a third Grand Slam semi-final.
Naomi Osaka route to US Open semi-finals
R1: 6-2 5-7 6-2 Doi
R2: 6-1 6-2 Giorgi
R3: 6-3 6-7 6-2 Kostyuk
R4: 6-3 6-4 Kontaveit
QF: 6-3 6-4 Rogers
Jennifer Brady route to US Open semi-finals
R1: 6-3 6-2 Blinkova
R2: 6-1 6-2 Bellis
R3: 6-3 6-3 Garcia
R4: 6-1 6-4 Kerber
QF: 6-3 6-2 Putintseva
On the two previous occasions she reached this stage, Osaka went on to win the tournament – including a title here in 2018.
For Brady, this is new territory. But the lack of fans inside the stadium could ensure that conditions for a first-time semi-finalist are not too daunting.
Both are aware of the other’s talents. Brady noted her ‘very powerful, big serve, big shots off the baseline, one-two punch’, while Osaka admitted she was ‘a bit jealous’ of Brady’s variety.
It promises to be a fiercely competitive, and incredibly watchable clash.
What they have both said
Jennifer Brady: ‘I think I have matured. I definitely have gotten a lot fitter, I feel a lot stronger out on court, have a lot more confidence in myself and my game.
‘I know what I’m doing out there. I believe in myself, my game, that I’m good enough to win matches and to be at this level and to be where I am today.’
Naomi Osaka: ‘I don’t feel like the favourite weirdly enough. Because there’s no fans, I don’t feel anything. I just feel like I’m going into a match with a really talented player, which is all of my previous matches anyway.
‘For me, I remember watching her. I watched her match against Putintseva earlier today. I know she’s a big threat.’
Prediction: A quick start for Osaka could be key. Brady has shown herself to be a devastating frontrunner, but if the fourth seed can get on top early, will the American be able to fight back? Despite Osaka’s attempts to play herself down as the favourite and despite Brady’s brilliant form, the two-time Grand Slam champion was my pick to win the tournament from the start and I see no reason to change that prediction now: Osaka in 3
Serena Williams vs Victoria Azarenka
Only Venus Williams has faced Serena on more occasions than Azarenka but it’s been a while since this rivalry really took centre stage at the biggest tournaments in the world.
Azarenka has not been to a semi-final of a Slam in seven years. At the US Open 2013, she was defeated by Williams in the final.
It was the same story a year earlier, but a lot of water has gone under the bridge since.
Both have left the WTA Tour to give birth and while Williams has been in four major finals since, it’s taken Azarenka longer to rediscover the form that made her world No. 1.
Serena Williams route to US Open semi-finals
R1: 7-5 6-3 Ahn
R2: 6-2 6-4 Gasparyan
R3: 2-6 6-2 6-2 Stephens
R4: 6-3 6-7 6-3 Sakkari
QF: 4-6 6-3 6-2 Pironkova
Victoria Azarenka route to US Open semi-finals
R1: 6-1 6-2 Haas
R2: 6-1 6-3 Sabalenka
R3: 6-4 6-2 Swiatek
R4: 5-7 6-1 6-4 Muchova
QF: 6-1 6-0 Mertens
Indeed, three weeks ago she was easily beaten by Williams’ older sister Venus 6-3 6-2. Few saw her Western & Southern title win a week later coming after that limp display.
Now, on a 10-match win streak, she will be aiming for a first ever Grand Slam win over Williams – having lost the first 10 attempts.
Williams’ overall goal is well documented. She is two wins away from equalling Margaret Court’s all-time majors record.
She will have to go through two high-quality opponents to achieve that aim. There’s nowhere to hide.
What they have both said
Serena Williams: ‘It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish, right? I feel like, yeah, I don’t even know, like, some of these matches you’re playing Serena, so it’s, like, close your eyes and hit as hard as you can and it doesn’t matter. So I kind of have to adjust to that.
‘I start to adjust to that later on. Because I’m like, Okay, Serena now you know what’s going to happen. So now I just have to go in matches knowing that this is going to happen and just kind of adjust to that earlier as opposed to later.
‘Yeah, I just feel like – I’m okay. I’m ready to play three sets every match if I have to. It doesn’t matter. A win is a win.’
Victoria Azarenka: ‘Can it get any better? For me it can’t. I’m so excited about this.
‘It’s an amazing opportunity to play against a champion. Someone I respect a lot. Someone who is my friend… I hope it will be fun, I know it’ll be fun for me.’
Prediction: Going against Williams is always a risky business but Azarenka is suddenly playing some of the best tennis of her career once again. Her clean ball striking against Mertens was simply terrifying and Williams will need to be right on her game, particularly on serve, if she’s to win. One area Azarenka has really improved is her movement and if she can drag Williams into long rallies, she may be the fresher of the two. It’ll be close. It could go either way. But I’m going with the Belarusian: Azarenka in 3
Follow Metro Sport across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
