Naomi Osaka produced a performance full of poise and confidence as she secured a place in the 2020 US Open semi-finals with a comfortable 6-3 6-4 victory over Shelby Rogers.
The Japanese player controlled the match throughout. She dictated most of the rallies and picked exactly the right times to attack. This enabled her to hit 24 winners while making just eight unforced errors.
“I feel like before, when I wasn’t doing too well, it’s because I wasn’t accepting the pressure,” Osaka said in her press conference. “I feel like in the end tennis is won by a couple points. It’s the points where you feel the most pressure, the most nerves.”
“I think that now I’m sort of embracing that and I’m having more fun with it. Clearly it’s doing well for me.”
Osaka takes charge when it matters most
Osaka played the big points very well against Rogers. In all the games where she had break points, she got the break – even if she did not always manage it on the first break point.
The only real blip in the Japanese player’s performance came when she dropped her serve immediately after her first break, which she earned in game six of the first set. Although that is a slight downside, Osaka negated its impact completely by breaking again in game eight.
“Today I was just focused on trying to dictate, like every match, but especially more against her because I feel that if you just hit in the middle, she’s going to pull the trigger,” The Japanese player said. “I felt like I had to move the ball around a couple times today.”
She continued, “I think because I’m aware of the process now, I’m mentally more aware of things than I was last time I was in this position. I for sure am more grateful. I sort of feel like I was a baby the last time I was in this spot. Yeah, I feel like I’m a better player overall actually. My return is better, for sure.”
Who is the favourite for the title now?
Osaka is in a fantastic position to go on and claim her third Grand Slam title at the 2020 US Open. But is she now the favourite? That is a more difficult question to answer.
Her next opponent, Jennifer Brady, is playing superb tennis at Flushing Meadows this year. She is yet to drop a set and she has beaten former champion Angelique Kerber as well as Caroline Garcia – the player who knocked out top seed Karolina Pliskova.
Despite this, Osaka should still be able to beat the American. Then she will probably face either Serena Williams or Victoria Azarenka in the final. Both clashes would be fascinating and potentially very hard to call.
As for the Japanese player herself, she seems calm about the challenges to come. “I don’t think a person can ever be truly comfortable (in this situation),” Osaka said. “I’m aware that I worked very hard to be in this position. I’m aware that the opponents that I play from now on are going to be very tough.”
She continued, “At the last two Grand Slams, everything happened so fast, I wasn’t really in the moment. I’m just really happy to be in the semis, and hopefully I can keep going.”
