Osaka has officially become the first Japanese female player in nearly 22 years to reach the US Open Semifinals.
After their progression from their Wednesday matches, Naomi Osaka and Madison Keys have both managed to make it into the US Open Semi Finals and are set to face each other soon.
Osaka was able to get into her very first Grand Slam semi final round after she defeated an unseeded Ukrainian player Lesia Tsurenko with 6-1 and 6-1 scores.
Keys made it to her second and consecutive semi final for a Grand Slam tournament after she defeated Carla Suarez Navarro in a match held at Flushing Meadows with 6-4 and 6-3.
20 years old Osaka as become the first woman to advance into the last four of a major event. The last Japanese female to do so was Kimiko Date who made it to semi finals of 1966’s Wimbledon tournament. Osaka displayed a ruthless display of abilities that resulted in defeat of the World no. 36 in only 57 minutes.
Osaka told media, “This really means a lot to me. I was freaking out inside my mind as well as my whole body was shaking. The thing that I am most proud of is that I did not break my racket”.
The finalist of last year tournament; Keys said to media, “I think Osaka and I play similarly. I think of power in obviously a big serve and I think that I have a little bit more spin on the ball. In my opinion she takes her time with the ball. I am not sure I we are going to have long rallies in our upcoming match”.
