Osaka underlines status as queen
MELBOURNE: Naomi Osaka ended Serena Williams’ bid for a recordequalling 24th grand slam title in a storm of power hitting yesterday, humbling the American great 63, 64 to reach her second Australian Open final.
In a rematch of their tumultuous 2018 US Open decider, Osaka underlined her status as the new queen of women’s tennis and soaked up the cheers from the Rod Laver Arena crowd as fans returned to the tournament after a fiveday lockdown.
Williams, however, was left in tears.
The 39yearold cut short her postmatch news conference after breaking down when asked whether she had just had a bad day at the office.
‘‘I had so many opportunities ... it was just ... I made too many mistakes there and easy mistakes,’’ the American said.
‘‘Not like . . . I was on the run or anything. They were just easy, easy mistakes.
‘‘I don’t know. I’m done,’’ she added before exiting the room in tears.
Osaka, the 2019 champion, is still only 23 but already has three grand slam wins under her belt.
‘‘It’s just always an honour to play her and I just didn’t want to go out really dud. I just wanted to try my best,’’ Osaka said after her 75minute master class on a steamy afternoon.
‘‘I was a little kid watching her play and just to be on the court playing against her is a dream.
Jennifer Brady ensured there would be an American in the women’s final after downing Karolina Muchova 64, 36, 64 in yesterday’s other semifinal.
Brady dug herself out of a midmatch hole to reach her first grand slam decider.
Brady allowed four match points to slip through her fingers as she served it out nervously but finally celebrated the win when her Czech opponent fired a forehand long.
Brady slumped on to the court as a capped crowd cheered, and she was still overcome with the moment in her oncourt interview.
‘‘I can’t feel my legs. My legs are shaking, my heart is racing. I am so nervous,’’ the 25yearold said.
Brady’s achievement is all the more remarkable after having been one of the 72 players who spent two weeks in hard quarantine and were unable to train like the rest of the field.
In the men’s draw, Rafael Nadal’s tilt at a record 21st grand slam will have to wait after Stefanos Tsitsipas delivered one of the sport’s more extraordinary comebacks to beat the great Spaniard in a fiveset Australian Open classic on Wednesday night.
Up two sets to love, the world No 2 appeared well on his way to a 35th grand slam semifinal until the Greek found his wings.
Tsitsipas hunkered down to pinch the third set in a tiebreak, and then went on to claim the match of the tournament 36, 26, 76 (74), 64, 75 to set up a lastfour clash against Daniil Medvedev.
‘‘It’s an unbelievable feeling to be able to fight on such a level,’’ Tsitsipas said after the match.
‘‘I don’t know what happened after the third set, I flew like a little bird — everything was working for me.’’
It marked just the second time in Nadal’s 19year grand
slam career that he had lost a match after being two sets up, the only other occasion coming against Fabio Fognini at the 2015 US Open.
The loss leaves Nadal equal with Federer on 20 grand slam wins, Novak Djokovic moving to 18 if he is victorious at Melbourne Park for the ninth time.
‘‘Of course [I’m ] sad,’’ Nadal said.
‘‘I lost a match in the quarterfinals of an event that means a lot to me.
Nadal has secured just one Australian Open crown, in 2009, making for his least successful major.