Osaka shatters Serena's aura to reach final

MELBOURNE • The intimidation factor of Serena Williams lasted two games for Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open on Thursday before she turned the tables on the American great and stormed into her second Melbourne final with a dominant 6-3, 6-4 win at Rod Laver Arena.

After dropping serve and falling 2-0 behind, Osaka said she had to focus on her own game to end Williams's bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.

“I was definitely really nervous,” Osaka said. “It's very intimidating to serve for the first game and see her on the other side of the net.”

Osaka has now beaten Williams at two Grand Slams, having toppled her in a stormy U.S. Open final in 2018 for her first major title.

Set to battle No. 24 seed Jennifer Brady on Saturday for a fourth Grand Slam title by the age of 23, Osaka is rapidly developing the aura that helped Williams to nearly two-dozen major trophies.

She showed Williams-esque ruthlessness too, hammering down four first serves to close out the match.

Brady, 25, beat Czech Karolina Muchova 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to reach the final.

The Japanese third seed beat Brady in three sets in the U.S. Open semifinals.

“For me, I have this mentality that people don't remember the runners-up,” said 2019 champion Osaka, unbeaten in all three of her Grand Slam finals. “You might, but the winner's name is the one that's engraved.”

Williams, 39, took the loss hard. Asked a question about whether her loss to Osaka was just a “bad day at the office,” she took a sip of water before choking up.

“I don't know. I'm done,” she said, leaving the room in tears.

Meanwhile, defending men's singles champion Novak Djokovic declared himself fighting fit for the Australian Open final after ending the incredible run of Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev with his “best match” of the tournament on Thursday.

The Serbian world No. 1 eased into his ninth decider at Melbourne Park with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win.

Djokovic, who suffered an abdominal injury less than a week ago, will face the winner of Friday's semifinal between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev.

“Felt great, I could swing through the ball, no pain … I'm thrilled to feel this way,” Djokovic said.