Japan goes gaga over duo’s historic run at US Open
● Kei Nishikori and Naomi Osaka became the first Japanese man and woman to have made the semifinal at the same Grand Slam tournament. ● Osaka wasn’t even born when compatriot Kimiko Date made the Wimbledon semifinals in 1996.
New York, Sept. 6: Naomi Osaka became the first Japanese woman in 22 years to reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam on Wednesday when she defeated Lesia Tsurenko 61, 6- 1 in the quarterfinals of the US Open, admitting she was “freaking out” inside.
Osaka wasn’t born when compatriot Kimiko Date made the Wimbledon semifinals in 1996 but now the 20- year- old has the opportunity to go one better by reaching a maiden Grand Slam final.
Later Wednesday, Osaka was joined in the record books by compatriot Kei Nishikori who reached his third semifinal at the US Open.
It’s the first time that a Japanese man and woman have made the semifinal at the same Slam.
To get to Saturday’s championship match, 20th seed Osaka will have to get past US 14th seed Madison Keys who breezed past Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro 6- 4, 6- 3.
Keys, the 2017 runner- up, leads Osaka 3- 0 in career meetings including the third round at the US Open in 2016 when she battled
back from 1- 5 in the final set to triumph.
“It really means a lot to get to the semis,” said Osaka whose post- match, on- court interview endeared her further to a growing legion of fans. Osaka celebrated her win calmly and coolly unlike the floods of tears which greeted her Last- 16 victory over Aryna Sabalenka.
“I cried a lot last time and there were lots of people making fun of me. So this time I went straight to the net. I was freaking out inside and my whole body was shaking but overall I am most proud of not breaking a racquet,” Osaka, the daughter of a Japanese mother and Haitian father, said.
Osaka broke in the second and sixth games of the opening set which was wrapped up in just 24 minutes.
The crisis soon deepened for Tsurenko, who had needed the best part of three hours on Monday to beat Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova in a match where she almost collapsed due to heat exhaustion.
She was quickly down two more breaks at 0- 4 before squandering three break points in the sixth game as Osaka glided into a maiden semifinal at the Slams.
In Tokyo, Japanese media and fans on Thursday rained down the superlatives on Nishikori and Osaka.
“There is no stopping the Japanese players,” screamed the Nikkan Gendai tabloid, after the pair became the first from the country to secure semifinal berths in both singles competitions during a Grand Slam.
Particular praise was heaped on Osaka. — AFP