Serena, Osaka Set Up US Open Final Rematch In Toronto Quarters
9th August 2019
Alexandrova broke Williams -- the 2001, 2011 and 2013 Canadian champion -- in the first and third games for a 3-0 edge only to have Williams roll through the next four games
- Serena Williams and Japan's Naomi Osaka booked a rematch of last year's US Open final in the WTA Toronto quarter-finals after straight-set triumphs Thursday
- Reigning US and Australian Open champion Osaka broke at love in the final game to defeat Polish teen Iga Swiatek 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 after one hour and 51 minutes
- World number 10 Williams was broken twice and dropped the first three games in 10 minutes then battled back to defeat Russia's 48th-ranked Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-5, 6-4 in 91 minutes
TORONTO, Canada- Serena Williams and Japan's Naomi Osaka booked a rematch of last year's
US Open final in the WTA Toronto quarter-finals after straight-set triumphs
Thursday.
Reigning US and
Australian Open champion Osaka broke at love in the final game to defeat Polish
teen Iga Swiatek 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 after one hour and 51 minutes.
World number 10
Williams was broken twice and dropped the first three games in 10 minutes then
battled back to defeat Russia's 48th-ranked Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-5, 6-4 in
91 minutes.
That set the stage
for Williams, a 37-year-old American who will try for a record-tying 24th Grand
Slam singles title at the upcoming US Open, to again face Osaka after the
controversial finish to their Grand Slam showdown last year in New York.
It would be the
first match between Osaka and Williams since the Japanese star defeated her
childhood idol 6-2, 6-4 in last year's US Open final, a match marred by an
on-court dispute between Williams and the umpire that led to a game penalty
against Williams.
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Osaka was booed by
some fans during the awards ceremony and later dubbed what should have been her
moment of glory "a little bittersweet."
Williams spoke after
her match but before she knew who she would face in the quarter-finals, saying
either Osaka -- who could return to the world number one ranking next week --
or Swiatek would be worthy foes.
"It will be a
good match, whoever wins," Williams said. "Both players are playing
well in this tournament in particular, so I'll be ready for her."
Alexandrova broke Williams -- the 2001, 2011 and 2013 Canadian champion -- in the first and third games for a 3-0 edge only to have Williams roll through the next four games.
They held from there
until the final game of the first set, when the Russian's eighth double fault
handed Williams the set after 46 minutes.
"(Alexandrova)
hit really, really hard and she was hitting a lot of winners, so I was just
happy I was able to just fight through that," Williams said.
Alexandrova broke
Williams again to open the second set, but the US star pulled level in the
sixth game and broke again in the 12th to advance after 91 minutes.
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"I'm feeling
good," Williams said. "Just hopefully just being able to stay in the
rhythm and playing this week and next week would be good."
Williams said she is
struggling with the transition from clay to grass to hardcourts more than usual
this year.
"I definitely
feel like it takes a while to get back into the rhythm," she said.
"So it definitely feels different, especially for me now. Usually I don't
feel that huge of a difference, but for whatever reason I do this year."