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Naomi Osaka into the Australian Open final after beating Serena Williams

The Japanese player had a slow start to the match but recovered to book her spot in Saturday showcase final.

Published

3 years ago

18/02/2021

Naomi Osaka is into another final at the Australian Open after ending the run of Serena Williams who was once again looking for grand slam title number 24 but couldn’t get the job done.

The third seed held her nerve to prevail 6-3, 6-4, on the Rod Laver Arena as she overwhelmed the more experienced Williams. Osaka broke the American four times during the match who only managed to get 46% of her first serves in. Even more problematic for Williams was the fact she hit twice more unforced errors than winners (12-24).

“I don’t know if there’s any little kids out here today, but I was a little kid watching her play,” Osaka said of Williams on court after the win. “Just to be on the court playing against her for me is a dream.”

A slow start but a great rally

Osaka started the match on serve and it was evident she had those jitters and nerves in the first game as the number 10 seed took full advantage of that by playing her aggressive game. She earned two early breakpoints and converted with an unforced error from the number three seed.

After holding serve you could still see Osaka dealing with nerves and she would serve a double fault to give the California resident another chance to break. Osaka would manage to save it and hold serve and you started to see a change in momentum.

The next game the nerves were gone for the 23 year old and she fought hard to get herself back in the match earning breakpoints on the Americans serve and breaking back to even the match at 2-2.

Williams kept hitting back and had another breakpoint in the next game but the number three seed was up to the task of saving it and held serve for the first time in the match.

The very next game she decided to go on the offensive and earned more breakpoints after winning an amazing rally finishing the point with a sublime forehand winner.

She would break to take her first lead of the match sealing the breakpoint with another great forehand winner to take a 4-2 lead. Osaka would serve out the set to take it 6-3 with a stunning forehand winner.

Osaka finishes strong

Just like that the match had been turned on it’s head and after a fast start for the American she was down a set and was looking to turn things around.

It was Williams to get off to a slow start and she faced breakpoints again in the opening service game of the second set and was broken as the number three seed hit another cross court forehand winner that went by Williams to get the early break and a 2-0 lead.

After that both players held serve until 4-3 when the Boca Raton, Florida resident had a slow service game and double faulted to give the American three chances to break.

She would double fault the very next point and just like that the set was even at 4-4 and you thought maybe this was the comeback Williams needed to get back in the match.

Osaka responded right away in the very next game playing a great game and earning breakpoints winning some great points this time with her sensational backhand that caught the number 10 seed flat footed.

She would break to take a 5-4 lead with a cross court forehand once again and would serve for the match. The number three seed would serve it out in quick fashion not losing a point in the final game and booking a spot in the final.

After the match in the on court interview she gave her thoughts of the match.

“I hit a lot of unforced errors in the first few games, I was just nervous and scared I think in the beginning and then I sorta eased my way into it, for me the biggest thing is having fun and I think honestly for me it’s always an honour to play her and I wanted to try my best”.

Osaka will now face either Jennifer Brady in the final on Saturday with a chance to win her second Australian Open final against a player who will be making their first ever appearance in a grand slam final.

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Andy Murray reaches the quarter final in Zhuhai

Published

11 hours ago

21/09/2023

sampaolo

Two-time Olympic champion Andy Murray beat Chinese wild card Mo Ye Cong 7-5 6-3 to advance to the second round at the Huafa Properties Zhuhai Championships.

Murray won three titles at the Shanghai Masters 1000 in 2010, 2011 and 2016, the ATP 500 in Beijing in 2016 and the ATP 250 in Shenzhen in 2014.

Murray saved all five break points he faced. The British player bounced back from the disappointment at the US Open, where he lost to Grigor Dimitrov in three sets.

Murray broke serve at love in the 12^th game to close out a hard-fought first set 7-5. The Scotsman fought back from 0-40 down to hold serve in the first game of the second set.

Murray broke serve at love in the fourth game to open up a 3-1 lead and hit his 10^thace of the match to close out the second set 6-3.

Murray set up a second round match against Aslan Karatsev, who came back from a set and a break down to beat Matteo Arnaldi 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 in 3 hours and 22 minutes. Arnaldi reached the fourth round at the US Open this year. Karatsev and Arnaldi went on serve in the first set en route to the tie-break. Arnaldi earned the first mini-break to take a 4-3 lead. Karatsev pulled back to draw level to 5-5. Karatsev earned his second mini-break to win the tie-break 7-5. on his fifth set point.

Karatsev saved two break points in the first game of the second set. Arnaldi broke serve in the fourth game to take a 4-3 lead. Karatsev broke straight in the fifth game. Arnaldi went up a second break to take a 5-4 lead earning the chance to serve for the match, but Karatsev pulled back on serve for the second time to draw level to 5-5. Arnaldi went up a mini-break to take a 4-2 lead, but Karatsev won five of the next six points with two mini-breaks to close out the tie-break 7-5. Karatsev broke twice in the first and third games Arnaldi saved three match points on serve at 1-5, but Karatsev served out the win on his fifth match point.

Karatsev broke his losing streak of four consecutive defeats against Italian players.

Tomas Martin Etcheverry beat Australian qualifier Luke Saville 6-4 6-4 to set up a quarter final match against Next Gen ATP Czech Dalibor Svrcina 6-4 6-4.

Australian qualifier Marc Polmans cruised past David Sweeny 6-3 6-1 to set up a quarter final against Cameron Norrie. Polmans has won the sixth match of his career on hard court and his first since the Australian Open 2022.

Kimmer Coppejans beat Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 to win his first ATP Tourn match.

Alex Bolt was leading 6-3 4-2 when Diego Schwartzman was forced to withdraw from the match.

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Roman Safiulin cruises past Brandon Nakashima at the Chengdu Open

Published

1 day ago

20/09/2023

sampaolo

Roman Safiulin cruised past Brandon Nakashima 6-4 6-4 in 88 minutes to reach the second round at the Chengdu Open.

Safiulin hit 22 winners to Nakashima’s 17 and did not face a break point. He broke once in each set.

“I think the most important thing was to hold my serve and just try to get some break points and try to use them. That was the main goal for the match”, said Saifiulin.

Safiulin reached his first Grand Slam quarter final at Wimbledon moving up to world number 43 in the ATP Ranking. The Russian player set up a second round match against fourth seed Daniel Evans.

Corentin Moutet beat Chinese wild card Mu Tao 6-2 6-2. The Frenchman set up either Miomir Kecmanovic or qualifier Benjamin Lock. Moutet earned an early break in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Mu broke straight back to draw level to 2-2. Moutet won the final four games with two breaks to close out the first set 6-2. The Frenchman broke twice in the fifth and seventh games to seal the second set 6-2.

Taro Daniel came back from one set down to beat Alexander Vukic 4-6 6-2 6-2. Daniel will face either Christopher O’Connell or Alibek Kachmazov. Vukic broke serve in the fourth game of the first set to take a 3-1 lead. Daniel broke back to love in the seventh game and held serve to draw level to 4-4. Vukic broke for the time in the 10^th time to win the first set 6-4.

Daniel broke in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Vukic broke back to draw level to 3-3. Daniel earned a second break in the ninth game to seal the second set 6-2 forcing the match to the decider. Daniel broke twice in the first and seventh games to win the second set 6-2.

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Caroline Garcia, Victoria Azarenka and Ons Jabeur to reach the Round of 16 at the Guadalajara Open

Published

1 day ago

20/09/2023

sampaolo

Number 3 seed Caroline Garcia saved two match points to beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 at the Guadalajara Open AKRON.

Garcia was a point away from losing to Sasnovich for the first time after five consecutive wins as the world number 89 was serving for the win at 6-4 6-5.

Garcia fended off a break point in her first service game before earning a decisive break at love at 3-3.

Garcia set up a third round match against Hailey Bapriste, who saved a match point to upset Karolina Pliskova.

“We saw a few forehands directly in the wall behind the court, but it is what it is. I am very happy with the way I managed to fight at the end of the second set. I lost a little bit my serve at the end of the first set, but I managed to come back. It’s a great win, and I definitely wins”, said Garcia.

Former world 1 Victoria Azarenka beat Dayana Yastremska 6-4 7-6 (7-5). Azarenka earned a break in the third game to seal the first set 6-4. Yastremska broke serve at love in the second game to open up a 2-0 lead. Azarenka broke straight back in the third game. Yastremska broke for the second time at love in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead. Azarenka broke serve for the second time before saving two set points at 5-4 in the second set. Both players traded the mini-break three times in the tie-break. Azarenka earned his fourth mini-break to win the tie-break 7-5.

Azarenka set up a third round match against Veronika Kudemertova, who won both of their head-to-head matches in Dubai in 2022 and at the Adelaide International 2 in 2023.

Ons Jabeur cruised past Alycia Parks 6-2 6-2 in 59 minutes to improve her head-to-record against the US record to 3-0. Jabeur had previously beaten Parks in Charleston in 2021 and Berlin in 2022.

Jabeur is aiming her second WTA 1000 title of her career after winning at the Madrid Mutua Open in 2022.

Jabeur broke with a passing winner in the first game. Parks made 26 unforced errors in the first set.

Jabeur earned an early break at love in the first game of the second set. Parks broke back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Jabeur won the next four games to seal the second set 6-2.

Jabeur converted five of her break points. Parks hit six aces and made seven double faults.

Jabeur set up a Round of 16 match against Martina Trevisan, who beat Jasmine Paolini 7-5 6-2. The Tunisian player beat Trevisan 6-2 6-2 in Charleston in 2021.

Maria Sakkari beat Storm Hunter 6-2 6-4 to set up a Round of 16 match against Camila Giorgi. Sakkari leads 3-0 in her previous head-to-head matches against Giorgi. Emma Navarro beat number 4 seed Madison Keys 6-2 7-6 (7-5) to set up a Round of 16 match against Leylah Fernandez.