Williams excited ahead of Osaka bout
SERENA Williams is excited to face “cool cat” Naomi Osaka as the pair prepare to lock horns at a grand slam for the first time since their notorious 2018 US Open final.
Both have been in impressive form at Melbourne Park, with Williams showing her improved fitness in a 6-3 6-3 victory over Simona Halep in the quarter-finals yesterday and Osaka producing a mature display to beat Hsieh Su-wei 6-2 6-2.
It is now two and a half years since their first slam meeting in New York, when Osaka’s first major title was overshadowed by the clash between Williams and umpire Carlos Ramos that led to the American being given a game penalty for verbal abuse.
Osaka picked up her trophy in tears amid boos and whistles but has always maintained her admiration and respect for Williams, who she grew up idolising.
The respect is mutual, with Williams praising Osaka on court for her activism after the Japanese player used her platform to highlight the Black Lives Matter movement at the US Open last year.
Williams said of the US Open final: “I think we both have had closure, and we have reached out to each other. I have definitely reached out. I think she’s a great competitor and she’s a cool cat.”
Williams, who is through to the last four in Melbourne for the first time since winning the title in 2017, said of her win over Halep: “I feel pretty good with that performance.
I feel like I needed to have a good performance obviously today, especially after my last match against her. So it was really important to try to play well today. I’m in the semi-final. That’s pretty awesome.”