Osaka races into first grand slam semi

Naomi Osaka needed just 57 minutes to defeat Lesia Tsurenko at the US Open and race into her first grand slam semi-final.

In a meeting between two first-time slam quarter-finalists it was Osaka who produced much the better display, winning 6-1, 6-1.

The 20-year-old Japaneseamerican has been earmarked as a future star for several years and made her big breakthrough earlier this season by winning the big WTA Tour event in Indian Wells. But this has been her best run on the biggest stage and, after a real battle in the last round against Aryna Sabalenka, Osaka returned to her dominance of the first three matches.

Osaka, who next faces either Madison Keys or Carla Suarez Navarro, is the first Japanese woman to reach the last four at a slam since Kimiko Date at Wimbledon 22 years ago.

Rafael Nadal recovered from a first-set bagel to defeat Dominic Thiem and reach the men’s semi-finals following another late-night classic. Twenty-four hours after Roger Federer fell to John Millman, his old rival avoided following him out of the tournament, but only just, completing a 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5) victory at 2.03am on Wednesday.

Thiem became the first player since Andy Roddick in 2004 to win a love set against Nadal in New York but the defending champion dug deep to come out on top and will now face third seed Juan Martin del Potro, who defeated John Isner, in a repeat of last year’s semi-final.