Naomi Osaka staved off countless break chances from Madison Keys and stormed into her first major final, handing Keys a 6-2, 6-4 defeat and setting up a US Open championship against Serena Williams on Saturday.
The 20-year-old rising star from Japan did not light up the stat sheet but played a steady, consistent match as Keys never found her best form, and it was more than enough for Osaka to seven straight pivotal games spanning sets, aided in large part by winning 16 of the 17 combined break points.
Keys hit 23 winners but had 32 unforced errors, and Osaka won every big point — including her first match point, which she celebrated with an elated wide grin.
Keys looked well on her way to grabbing a foothold early in the second set. She hit several powerful groundstrokes trailing 0-1, forcing six break points. But Osaka saved each one, the final two on aces, over 13 minutes, and the American never could break through.
It was Keys who had the better opportunities early in the match, earning three break points in Osaka’s second service game. Clutch Osaka serves swatted away each of those chances, and the No. 20 seed deposited a forehand right at Keys’ feet on break point in the next game.
A handcuffed Keys couldn’t keep the ball in play, handing Osaka a lead she would never relinquish. She won Keys’ next service game at love, capped off by a wan forehand into the net on break point, and notched a service winner on her second set point.
In a match short on first-ball winners but similarly light on long rallies, Osaka routinely took command in mid-length exchanges. That was evident in the first game of the second set, where Keys mashed a forehand long on break point.
And in the games after Keys whiffed on six break points in the next game — running her mark to 0-for-12 — it remained clear. Osaka frequently trailed in her service games, facing deuce at 3-2 and break points at 4-3, but she dictated on her serve and in rallies throughout.
She slammed a backhand up the line for 5-3, then dealt with few evident nerves as she closed out the match and became the first Japanese woman to reach a grand slam final.
After winning her maiden tour title in Indian Wells in March, Osaka will play her biggest ever match against the 23-time grand slam champion in two days time. Osaka won their lone meeting, early in Williams’ comeback this spring, but faces a much taller test in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
