MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Naomi Osaka never made it past the fourth round at any of the first 10 Grand Slam tournaments of her career. Now, still just 21, shes suddenly on the verge of a second consecutive major championship.
And the No. 1 ranking, too.
Osaka moved one victory away from adding the Australian Open trophy to the one she collected 4½ months ago at the U.S. Open, using her smooth power to produce 15 aces and groundstroke winners at will while beating Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in the semifinals today.
I just told myself to regroup in the third set and just try as hard as I can, said Osaka, who saved four break points in the last set and finished the match with an ace at 115 mph.
I was so scared serving second serves. I was like, Oh, my God. Please! Osaka said. Somehow, I made it. I guess thats experience.
A day after erasing four match points and a 5-1 deficit in the third set to stun Serena Williams in the quarterfinals, Pliskova could not produce the same kind of comeback.
Instead it is Osaka, the only Japanese woman to win a major singles title, who will face two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova on Saturday. The winner will rise to the top of the WTA rankings for the first time; Osaka is currently No. 4, Kvitova is No. 6.
In the mens semifinals, Rafael Nadal continued his relentless roll through the draw by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 at night. Nadal has not dropped a set as he bids for a second Australian Open title and 18th Grand Slam trophy overall.
Osakas fourth-round finish at Melbourne Park a year ago was her best showing at a major until last years U.S. Open, where she outplayed Williams in the final. A victory over Kvitova would make Osaka the first woman to win two Slams in a row since Williams claimed four straight across the 2014-15 seasons.
Two years ago, Kvitova missed the Australian Open, just weeks after her left hand was stabbed by an intruder at her home in the Czech Republic. Back at her best during what she calls her second career, Kvitova surged to a 7-6 (2), 6-0 victory against 35th-ranked American Danielle Collins after Rod Laver Arenas retractable roof was closed as the temperature soared toward 105 degrees.
Kvitova reached her first major final since the December 2016 knife attack that led to hours of surgery on the hand she holds her racket with and first since winning Wimbledon for the second time in 2014.
I didnt know even if I (was) going to play tennis again, Kvitova said. Its been a long journey.
Shes made clear over the years she is not a huge fan of playing in stifling heat. Not too many people truly are, of course, but Collins is OK with it and thought the roof should have stayed open.
I grew up in Florida and am used to it being really hot all the time. So I kind of embrace that very well, Collins said. Indoor tennis is a different game. Certainly had its effect.
