Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka [Source: DNA India]
Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka will be hoping to secure a rematch of the 2018 US Open final when both semi-finals take centre stage on Thursday.
Six-time champion Williams, 38, who lost that infamous match, faces former world number one Victoria Azarenka.
Japan’s Osaka faces 25-year-old American 28th seed Jennifer Brady.
“I think she’s a really amazing player, she has the variety that I wish I had so I’m a bit jealous,” said 22-year-old Osaka.
Brady, the first female college player since Lori McNeil in 1987 to reach this stage, only won her first title last month. She also comes into this match having won 11 of her past 13 matches, never dropping a set in those victories
Osaka added: “She’s super nice and I think it’s going to be a really tough match and I think we’re both going to try our best.”
The Japanese player has improved as the tournament has progressed, with impressive victories over Estonian 14th seed Anett Kontaveit and then American Shelby Rogers in the quarter-finals.
Williams, similarly, has improved match by match and has noticeably grown stronger in the longer contests.
Her victory over Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova on Wednesday was her third successive three-set win at this tournament, and her second where she came from a set down.
