Brady seeks breakthrough vs Osaka

MELBOURNE, Australia – After the unusual path Jennifer Brady followed – college tennis at UCLA; just one tour-level title so far; more recently, a twoweek hard quarantine upon arrival in Australia – perhaps it was fitting she took a circuitous route to her first Grand Slam tournament final.

Serving for the win against Karolina Muchova in the Australian Open semifinals, Brady needed to get through an 18point game to close things out. Six deuces. Three break points. Five match points.

“It took a lot longer than I hoped for. There were a lot of extra points,” the 22nd-seeded Brady said. “I was just so nervous. Couldn’t feel my legs. My arms were shaking. I was just hoping she would miss.”

Eventually, the 25-year-old American pulled it out, dropping onto her back behind the baseline when the 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 result was settled in her favor Thursday thanks to a long forehand from the 25th-seeded Muchova.

“I didn’t take chances I had,” said Muchova, who eliminated No. 1 Ash Barty in the quarterfinals. “She took hers. Yeah, that was about it.”

Brady, who is from Pennsylvania, had previously appeared in only one major semifinal, at last year’s U.S. Open, where she lost to eventual champion Naomi Osaka in three sets.

So guess who Brady will face Saturday for the title? Yes, the No. 3-seeded Osaka, who is seeking her fourth major trophy after defeating No. 10 Serena Williams 6-3, 6-4.

“Easily one of my most memorable matches. I think it was just super-high quality throughout,” Osaka said about that 2020 meeting in New York. “For me, it’s not really surprising at all to see her in another semis or another finals.”

For Brady, it was a bit unexpected.

Not that she discounted her chances: Seeing how she was able to hang with elite players in matches and practice sessions made her realize this sort of thing was possible.

“I mean, I wouldn’t say I’m in disbelief. … I have earned the right to be sitting here, to be playing in a final,” she said. “I just think it’s crazy to believe. … Watching a Grand Slam final, you look at two players and you’re, like, ‘Wow, that’s awesome that they’re in the final.’ You don’t think about what it feels like if you were in that situation. So I think it’s the tables have turned and I’m here.”