Australian Open 2021

Osaka makes clear she's the new boss

Serena hints the end may be near after her latest Slam heartbreak

Naomi Osaka stretching for a return against Serena Williams (right, leaving the press conference in tears) in their Australian Open semi-final. Her aggressive moves had all the hallmarks of the former No. 1's play and she will be hot favourite in the
Naomi Osaka stretching for a return against Serena Williams in their Australian Open semi-final. Her aggressive moves had all the hallmarks of the former No. 1's play and she will be hot favourite in the final. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Naomi Osaka stretching for a return against Serena Williams (right, leaving the press conference in tears) in their Australian Open semi-final. Her aggressive moves had all the hallmarks of the former No. 1's play and she will be hot favourite in the
Serena Williams (above, leaving the press conference in tears). PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

MELBOURNE • The intimidation factor of Serena Williams lasted two games for Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open yesterday before she turned the tables on the American great, storming into her second Melbourne final with a dominant 6-3, 6-4 win at Rod Laver Arena.

After dropping serve and falling 2-0 behind, the Japanese told herself she needed to focus on her own game to end the former world No. 1's latest bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title and it was when her suffocating power took over.

"I was definitely really nervous," the three-time Major winner said. "It's very intimidating to serve for the first game and see her on the other side of the net.

"I was worried about what she would do if I were to hit a soft ball. Yeah, I think when it was like 2-0, I was just telling myself to control what I can control and try to play within myself instead of thinking about what she would do or anything like that."

Williams made 18 unforced errors, including 10 on her forehand, considered one of the fiercest strokes in the women's game but Osaka's power-hitting contributed to that as she underlined her status as the new queen of women's tennis.

This was a rematch of their tumultuous 2018 US Open decider and the first time they had met in a Major since New York but there was none of the drama here as the Japanese ace broke her opponent four times, including twice in the first set.

The reigning US Open champion has now beaten Williams at two Slams, including that 2018 final, has a 3-1 lead in head-to-head clashes and holds a 4-0 record in Major semi-finals, going on to win in her past three trips to the finals.

Set to battle American 22nd seed Jennifer Brady, who beat 27th-ranked Czech Karolina Muchova 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the other semi, tomorrow for her fourth Slam by the age of 23, Osaka is rapidly developing the aura that helped Williams to 23 Majors - the last in Melbourne in 2017.

Certainly, she played her idol's role of aggressor in their match, firing down laser forehands that the 39-year-old struggled to retrieve.

She showed Williams-esque ruthlessness too, hammering down four first serves to close out the match.

The third seed will be heavily favoured to defeat Brady, who she beat in three sets in the semis of last year's US Open and is making her maiden appearance at this stage, as her mindset sets her apart from her peers.

"For me, I have this mentality that people don't remember the runners-up," said Osaka, unbeaten in all three of her Slam finals. "You might, but the winner's name is the one that's engraved.

"I think I fight the hardest in the finals. I think that's where you sort of set yourself apart. It's something that I think... I don't know, it's like the biggest fight."

In relentlessly moving her from side to side on the court, she may have also pushed Williams closer to retirement.

Since returning to competition in 2018 after a difficult childbirth, she has now played in 11 Slams, getting to the semis or finals in six of them without finishing the job.

Asked later if this was her Open swansong, Williams tearfully said that if she "ever say farewell, I wouldn't tell anyone" before leaving abruptly.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, NYTIMES, REUTERS


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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 19, 2021, with the headline Osaka makes clear she's the new boss. Subscribe