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Tag: Naomi Osaka

  • Serena v Osaka: Power-hitters conflict in blockbuster Australian Open semifinal

    When the Australian Open draw was made on February 5, the second half of the ladies’s singles draw attracted intrigue. And because the matches got here and went, and as Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams went about their enterprise dominating the tennis court docket, it was clear that it was not going to be a matter of ‘if,’ however quite ‘when’ the 2 titans of ladies’s tennis meet within the semi-final.
    Sure there was the prospect of World No 2 Simona Halep – a title contender in her personal proper – disrupting the narrative by defeating Williams within the quarterfinal – you would argue that it was an ‘upset’ if the Romanian did win that match.
    But definitely it could have denied one other thrilling chapter on this most respectful rivalry between a legend and an apprentice as soon as dubbed the ‘Next Serena’; the 2 most recognisable tennis gamers on the planet right this moment.
    “If it happens, then I’m sure a lot of people will be excited,” Osaka had mentioned earlier than Williams performed Halep on Tuesday.
    And when Williams took to Rod Laver Arena and beat Halep in what was, by her personal admission, the very best match she performed up to now on this match. It assured that the fourth conflict between Williams and Osaka – the second ever at a Grand Slam (the primary was when Osaka received the US Open title in 2018) – got here at a time when each have hit their stride.
    The solely disappointment for followers is that they won’t get the ultimate that that they had hoped to see, however they’ll get a semi-final they wished when the draw was made.
    Heavy hitters
    In most respects, each their video games are related. The 39-year-old Williams has lengthy been one of the vital highly effective gamers on tour. She has an enormous serve and equally large groundstrokes that complement her all-round attacking sport that has seen her win an Open Era document 23 Grand Slam singles titles.
    Osaka in the meantime, grew up modelling her personal skill-set primarily based on the participant she has idolised from an early age.
    So far each have received 79 per cent factors on their first serves. And the nice and cozy Melbourne circumstances anticipated on Thursday, aided by the quick Australian Open courts – will merely propel the hard-hitting duo.
    Osaka leads 2-1 head-to-head
    The first time they met was within the first spherical of the 2018 Miami Open. Williams was taking part in in solely her second match since returning to the tour after giving delivery to a child woman. Osaka received that tie 6-3, 6-2 towards a clearly rusty American.
    They met once more, six months later within the controversial US Open closing, which Osaka once more received in straight units.
    Williams pulled one again in Toronto in 2019, profitable 6-3, 6-4.
    Osaka unbeaten after reaching quarterfinals at majors
    So far, the 23-year-old Japanese participant has reached the quarterfinal of a Grand Slam thrice – on the 2018 US Open, 2019 Australian Open and 2020 US Open. She went on to win the title on every event.
    She’ll hope to proceed in that vein to earn her fourth title, however she has by no means confronted a Serena working at such a high-level.
    Williams chasing her twenty fourth
    For all her achievements and historic successes, Williams has now entered a fourth 12 months in her pursuit of Margaret Court’s all-time document of most Grand Slam singles titles.
    Williams overtook Steffi Graf’s Open Era document of twenty-two main wins when she received the 2017 Australian Open title – beating elder sister Venus within the closing.
    She went on maternity go away after that and returned to the tour over a 12 months later. Her starvation for the elusive twenty fourth Slam hasn’t diminished, and she or he’s been near attaining it 4 occasions.
    In 2018, she reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals, dropping to Angelique Kerber and Osaka respectively. A 12 months later, she reached the ultimate of the identical majors, dropping to Halep (Wimbledon) and Bianca Andreescu (US Open).
    Now she’s gunning for a fifth closing.

  • Australian Open 2021: Serena Williams up towards Naomi Osaka in semis, Novak Djokovic to face Aslan Karatsev

    Image Source : AP Serena Williams
    A fast have a look at the Australian Open:
    LOOKAHEAD TO THURSDAY

    Naomi Osaka has received 19 consecutive matches however none of these wins got here towards Serena Williams. Three-time main champion Osaka will meet 23-time Grand Slam singles title winner Williams within the Australian Open semifinals on Thursday. This will likely be their fourth matchup. The most memorable was Osaka’s victory within the 2018 U.S. Open last, which ended with each gamers in tears through the trophy ceremony. That was one among Williams’ 4 losses in Grand Slam finals since her final main championship, which got here in Australia in 2017. Jennifer Brady faces Karolina Muchova within the different ladies’s semifinal. Novak Djokovic will proceed his bid for a ninth Australian Open title and 18th Grand Slam trophy general when he performs 114th-ranked Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev within the day’s lone males’s semifinal. The 27-year-old Karatsev is the primary man within the skilled period to succeed in the semifinals of his first profession look in the primary draw of a Grand Slam event. He has eradicated three seeded opponents already, however nothing is more durable at Melbourne Park than making an attempt to beat Djokovic, who’s 16-0 in Australian Open semifinals and finals.
    THURSDAY’S FORECAST
    Sunny, excessive of 31 levels Celsius (88 levels Fahrenheit)
    WEDNESDAY’S WEATHER
    Sunny, excessive of 29 Celsius (85 Fahrenheit).

    WEDNESDAY’S KEY RESULTS
    Women’s Quarterfinals: No. 25 Karolina Muchova beat No. 1 Ash Barty 1-6, 6-3, 6-2; No. 22 Jennifer Brady beat Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
    Men’s Quarterfinals: No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas beat No. 2 Rafael Nadal 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4, 7-5; No. 4 Daniil Medvedev beat No. 7 Andrey Rublev 7-5, 6-3, 6-2.
    STAT OF THE DAY
    1978 — The final time an Australian received a singles championship on the Australian Open; Chris O’Neil received the ladies’s title that 12 months. Barty was the final man or girl from the host nation in singles this 12 months.
    QUOTE OF THE DAY
    “It’s heartbreaking, of course … but the sun will come up tomorrow. You’re either winning or you’re learning, and today is a massive learning curve for me.” — Barty, after her quarterfinal exit.

  • Serena Williams powers previous Simona Halep to succeed in Australian Open semi-final

    A second serve, a 130 kmph kicker to Serena Williams’ forehand was returned cross court docket at blistering tempo. Simona Halep, the World No 2, had barely completed her service movement earlier than the ball raced previous her. The level was the primary on Halep’s serve within the match. And in some ways, it set the tone for what was about to observe.
    This quarterfinal Australian Open tie was the primary time the 2 former World No 1s met since Halep beat Williams for the 2019 Wimbledon title. The American has since continued her seek for the elusive twenty fourth Grand Slam title that can take her degree with Margaret Court for the all-time file.
    On Tuesday, after an hour and 21 minutes, Williams took one other step in the direction of a significant ultimate after outhitting and out-defending Halep in a 6-3, 6-3 win.

    3️⃣9️⃣ years of age.4️⃣0️⃣ Grand Slam semifinals.@serenawilliams | #AO2021 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/c4tdzAF3XQ
    — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 16, 2021
    Williams’ heavy-hitting
    Jim Courier requested Williams after the match about that thunderous forehand winner on Halep’s first serve of the match.
    “I just saw it, looked like a donut, I went for it,” got here her reply.
    It’s a on condition that every time the attack-minded 39-year-old takes to court docket, her groundstrokes will journey quick and heavy. But she turned issues up a notch within the Rod Laver Arena, pulling the set off early on her pictures and giving Halep, a defensive baseliner, not a lot time to settle.
    Though she conceded 33 unforced errors, Williams’ 24 winners (in comparison with Halep’s 9) paid larger dividends, and on the essential factors.
    “This was the best match I’ve played in this tournament, for sure,” Williams mentioned.
    “Obviously, I had to, going up against the No 2 in the world. I knew that I had to do better, and that’s what I did.”

    “It’s so good to see someone [@naomiosaka] that is so inspiring on both things.” 💙
    Even 7️⃣x #AusOpen champion @serenawilliams attracts inspiration from her #AO2021 semifinal opponent 🙌 pic.twitter.com/yzASWfp1Gn
    — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 16, 2021
    Attacking Halep’s second serve
    The diminutive Romanian, who stands at 5-foot-6, can run all day and play pictures with nice depth. But her serve will not be the quickest and most rewarding. Her second serve specifically was simple pickings for Williams – ranging from the primary level on the two-time Grand Slam champion’s serve.
    Overall, Halep gained simply 9 of the 23 factors on her second serve – a charge of 39 %.
    Williams’ outstanding defence
    The saying, ‘attack is the best form of defence’ has run true for an amazing a part of her illustrious profession. On Tuesday although, it appeared like she had added a dogged defensive high quality to her arsenal.
    Halep began to push her opponent on both facet of the court docket in rallies, and Williams would chase it down and drive the Romanian to play one other shot, solely to retrieve that as effectively. Halep finally completed the match with simply 9 winners, a credit score to Williams’ tenacity.
    But her defensive expertise have been greatest displayed when Halep was serving at deuce, 3-3 within the second set. The American scrambled from left to proper in a rally that lasted 20 pictures (the longest within the match) till the 29-year-old performed an unforced error into the online. It gave Williams her sixth break level alternative in that recreation, which she would convert to take the lead.
    Halep’s spectacular health and enjoying model entails her operating the opponent down and profitable the lengthy rallies. But within the rallies that lasted 9 pictures or extra, Williams gained 16 to Halep’s seven.

  • Australian Open 2021: Naomi Osaka advances to semifinal with simple win over Hsieh Su-wei

    Image Source : GETTY IMAGES Osaka earned her nineteenth victory in a row by overpowering Hsieh Su-wei 6-2, 6-2, and can subsequent meet the winner of the quarterfinal between Williams and No. 2-seeded Simona Halep.
    Naomi Osaka superior Tuesday to a possible semifinal showdown towards Serena Williams on the Australian Open.
    Osaka earned her nineteenth victory in a row by overpowering Hsieh Su-wei 6-2, 6-2, and can subsequent meet the winner of the quarterfinal match Tuesday evening between Williams and No. 2-seeded Simona Halep.

    “Normally I never look at my draw,” Osaka stated. “But everyone has told me about my draw here, so I kind of had no choice but to know who my next opponent is. It’s definitely going to be really fun.”
    Seeded third, Osaka reached 122 mph (196 kph) on her serve towards Hsieh. She hit seven aces, misplaced solely two factors on her first serve and was by no means damaged.
    Osaka additionally performed glorious protection, comparable to within the ultimate recreation, when she raced ahead to chase down a drop shot, flicking a backhand cross-court for a winner.

    At 35, Hsieh was the oldest lady to make her Grand Slam quarterfinal debut within the skilled period. But Osaka wasn’t fazed by Hsieh’s flat, misleading two-handed strokes from either side, pounding forehand winners into each corners.
    Osaka’s profitable streak features a U.S. Open title in September for her third Grand Slam championship. The streak additionally contains her fourth-round win final week, when she saved two match factors and swept the ultimate 4 video games to overhaul Garbiñe Muguruza.
    “It makes me a bit more calm, knowing that my back was severely against the wall,” Osaka stated.
    Osaka is 4-0 in Grand Slam quarterfinals, together with a victory en path to the Australian Open title in 2019.
    Two quarterfinal matches had been on the lads’s schedule: eight-time champion Novak Djokovic towards Alexander Zverev, and Grigor Dimitrov versus 114th-ranked qualifier Aslan Karatsev.

  • Australian Open 2021: Naomi Osaka survives stiff Muguruza problem to succeed in quarter-finals

    Image Source : GETTY IMAGES Naomi Osaka celebrates after defeating Garbine Muguruza in Melbourne on Sunday.
    Naomi Osaka fought off two match factors and got here again to eradicate Garbiñe Muguruza in a big-hitting fourth-round matchup of Grand Slam champions on the Australian Open.

    The third-seeded Osaka grabbed the final 4 video games to win 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 in Rod Laver Arena.

    That outcome places her again within the quarterfinals of a event she gained in 2019 for one in every of her three main trophies.

    Osaka was serving at 15-40 whereas trailing 5-3 within the last set. But Muguruza couldn’t convert both of these match factors and wouldn’t win one other recreation.

    Osaka now faces unseeded 35-year-old Hsie Su-wei of Taiwain with a semifinal berth at stake.

  • Watch: Naomi Osaka’s healthful second with butterfly attracts applause from crowd at Australian Open

    Image Source : TWITTER: @AUSOPEN/ GETTY IMAGES Watch: Naomi Osaka’s healthful second with butterfly attracts applause from crowd at Australian Open
    Naomi Osaka had a customer throughout her third-round match in opposition to Ons Jabeur on the 2021 Australian Open – a butterfly.
    The butterfly stopped play for a short second because it landed on Osaka’s leg, and the Japanese tennis star escorted it to security in a touching second, which drew applause from the gang.

    Naomi Osaka is again within the fourth spherical of the Australian Open for the primary time since her title run in 2019.
    Watch:

    Osaka overcame 28 unforced errors and saved six of seven break factors she confronted in a 6-3, 6-2 win over Twenty seventh-seeded Ons Jabeur of Tunisia on Friday.
    “I used to be actually nervous and scared as a result of I did not know if she was going to hit a drop shot on any ball,” Osaka stated of enjoying Jabeur for the primary time.
    Osaka was surprised final 12 months within the third spherical at Melbourne Park by then-15-year-old Coco Gauff. She has regarded strong up to now this 12 months, dropping simply 13 video games in her first three matches.
    Osaka and Serena Williams are the one two former Australian Open champions remaining within the draw after the losses by Sofia Kenin, Victoria Azarenka and Angelique Kerber.
    She subsequent faces one other in-form participant, two-time main winner Garbiñe Muguruza, who has misplaced even fewer video games (10) en path to the fourth spherical.

  • Naomi Osaka, Victoria Azarenka withdraw from Australian Open tuneup tournaments

    Image Source : GETTY IMAGES No. 3-ranked Osaka pulled out of her Gippsland Trophy semifinal in opposition to Elise Mertens, citing a “niggling damage.”
    Former Australian Open champions Naomi Osaka and Victoria Azarenka withdrew from tuneup tournaments Saturday, two days earlier than the 12 months’s first tennis main begins at Melbourne Park.
    No. 3-ranked Osaka pulled out of her Gippsland Trophy semifinal in opposition to Elise Mertens, citing a “niggling damage.”

    Azarenka withdrew from the Grampians Trophy quarterfinal match in opposition to Anett Kontaveit with a decrease again downside.
    Serena Williams withdrew from the Yarra Valley Classic late Friday after qualifying for a semifinal in opposition to top-ranked Ash Barty.

    All worldwide gamers and workers have been by two weeks of quarantine. Organizers placed on six tournaments this week at Melbourne Park to provide gamers time to organize for the Australian Open, which has been delayed three weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
    U.S. Open champion Osaka and Serena Williams, who’s chasing a document twenty fourth Grand Slam singles title, are on the identical half of the draw on the Australian Open.
    “Sorry to Tennis Australia and the fans to have to withdraw today,” Osaka mentioned. “I have a niggling injury and in light of the (Australian Open) on the horizon, I need to be cautious. I look forward to competing next week.”
    Her withdrawal provides Mertens a walkover into the ultimate.
    The withdrawals compelled a reshuffle of the order of play on Margaret Court Arena. Former champion Angelique Kerber was moved as much as meet fifth-seeded Maria Sakkari.

  • Serena visits zoo earlier than an Adelaide exhibition match win; Djokovic on court docket

    Serena Williams was making ready to play Naomi Osaka at an Adelaide exhibition match on Friday. But first issues first _ after 14 days in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic rules in Australia, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion took her daughter to the zoo.
    Williams stated she’d been crossing off the 14 days of quarantine on a calendar, having spent the time together with her three-year-old daughter Olympia.
    “We went to the zoo,” Williams stated of her first actions outdoors of quarantine. “I’m so glad it’s over as a result of to be in a room (for thus lengthy) with a three-year-old and being her finest good friend is unquestionably tough, particularly after coaching and understanding.
    “Honestly, I wouldn’t trade anything, spending hours and hours and hours with her was really fun.”
    The go to will need to have been an excellent pre-match tonic for Williams. She beat Osaka 6-2, 2-6, 10-7. Both gamers confirmed apparent indicators of rustiness, hitting set-up winners out of play or netting comparatively straightforward photographs.
    “Thanks every one for having us. We honestly haven’t played in front of a crowd for over a year, it’s been a really long time, so this is really cool,” Williams stated.
    She acknowledged the powerful 14-day quarantine restrictions that had been in place to permit the Australian Open to happen starting Feb. 8.
    “Thanks for trusting us with your laws, (it) was great,” Williams added. “We were so happy just to be here, and now it’s worth it.”
    Earlier Friday, top-ranked Novak Djokovic missed the beginning of his scheduled exhibition match in opposition to rising Italian expertise Jannick Sinner, who was Rafael Nadal’s quarantine apply companion. Djokovic received therapy for a blister on his proper hand, leaving Sinner to play Filip Krajinovic, however the eight-time Australian Open champion arrived on court docket firstly of the second set to cheers from the group.
    Krajinovic received the primary set 6-3 and Djokovic the second by the identical rating to provide the Serbian tag-team victory.“I am sorry that I didn’t step on on the court from the beginning, I had to do some treatment with my physio,” Djokovic advised the group in a post-match interview. “I wanted to play, I wanted to get out there.”
    A tv close-up had earlier confirmed a big blister on the palm of his Djokovic’s proper hand, the place his racket would sit.
    “It’s part of what we do, we learn over the years to play with the pain,” Djokovic stated. “But I saw the crowds and the emotion was so strong for me to come out, I had to play.”
    A number of hours earlier, Djokovic, who has already had COVID-19, celebrated the tip of his quarantine with a barefoot stroll in an area park.
    “Just putting bare feet on the ground,” he stated. “Just doing something that I didn’t have a chance to do. So just having space, that is what we all kind of missed.”
    Nadal and Dominic Thiem, who’ve received the previous two majors performed in Paris and New York, had been scheduled to start out the evening session Friday at Adelaide earlier than girls’s No. 1 Ash Barty took on Simona Halep. It might be Barty’s first match in 11 months.
    The Adelaide match is the one Australian Open tune-up match that isn’t being performed in Melbourne. The others, together with the ATP Cup and three WTA occasions, will begin getting underway from Sunday.
    In Melbourne, the primary of the gamers to go away quarantine had been greeted with the town’s usually fickle climate _ rain showers.
    The National Tennis Centre at Melbourne Park has eight indoor courts and officers had been anticipated to be inundated with requests from gamers, notably those that have been in laborious lockdown, for court docket time.
    Those 72 gamers, who had been on board the identical three constitution flights because the 9 passengers who examined constructive to COVID-19, have been unable to go away their rooms whereas others have been in a position to prepare for as much as 5 hours a day.
    Tennis Australia chief government Craig Tiley stated gamers who had been in laborious lockdown could be given precedence.
    “We’re going to have a great deal of empathy for supporting those who have been in hard lockdown and I’ve already made that commitment to them,” Tiley stated.