That’s all for today. Be sure to check back shortly for Tumaini Carayol’s full match here and thanks as always for following along with us.
Updated
“The road to the final, I have to beat the best players and definitely today was that day,” says Azarenka, who hit 25 winners against 18 unforced errors (compared to 35 and 28 for Williams, respectively).
Asked whether she felt nerves at the end of the match playing in the same stadium where she was broken by Williams while serving for the 2012 US Open title, Azarenka is to the point.
“Hell no,” she says. “I was young. My ego was way too big. Now it’s a little bit smaller. And the results are coming.”
Beautiful.
Asked what it means to return to the US Open final as a mother, Azarenka says: “You have many things you can do in your life. Being a parent is, to me, the most important thing in my life. But I’m a tennis player on the court, I want to go after my dreams, my personal dreams, and inspire my child. So I hope women around the world know that they can do anything because being a parent is the toughest thing. Once you can balance that, you can do anything.”
Azarenka wins 1-6, 6-3, 6-3!
Third set: Williams 6-1, 3-6, 3-6 Azarenka
Azarenka wins two quick points, the second on a nine-shot rally that runs Williams ragged, and she’s two points from the US Open final. Williams gets one back with a blistering cross-court forehand winner. Then Azarenka double-faults for 30-all. Uh-oh. But Azarenka, who’s had trouble closing out matches against Williams on her racket in the past (2012 US Open final, anyone?), manages to dig in,. She crushed a 109mph serve down the middle that Williams can’t return for match point. And Azarenka pounds a 93mph ace out wide to complete the comeback. It will be Azarenka v Osaka on Saturday for the title!
Third set: Williams 6-1, 3-6, 3-5 Azarenka*
Williams keeps the scoreboard pressure on with another hold and Azarenka will serve for a spot in the final.
Third set: *Williams 6-1, 3-6, 2-5 Azarenka
Azarenka cruises to an easy hold and Serena will serve to stay in the tournament.
Updated
Third set: Williams 6-1, 3-6, 2-4 Azarenka*
Williams holds comfortably, putting the pressure back on Azarenka. Meanwhile, Ashley from Virginia emails to ask:
When is the last time both USO women’s semifinals went three sets?
Looks like tonight is the first time this has happened since the 2006 US Open when Maria Sharapova won 6-0, 4-6, 6-0 over Amelie Mauresmo and Justine Henin won 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 over Jelena Jankovic.
Third set: *Williams 6-1, 3-6, 1-4 Azarenka
Williams pushes it to 15-30 on Azarenka’s serve. It’s a bit of an opening for Williams but Azaranka digs in. She gets lucky with a netcord winner to end a grueling 15-shot rally, then wins the next two points to hold and stay out in front.
Third set: Williams 6-1, 3-6, 1-3 Azarenka*
Azarenka wins the first point on Williams’s serve. Williams grunting louder than ever, almost to the point of hindrance. She wants this badly. Serving at love-15, she wins the next four points to hold and end Azarenka’s string of five straight games, punctuating the game with a loud “Come on!”
Third set: *Williams 6-1, 3-6, 0-3 Azarenka
Azarenka hits back-to-back first serves that Williams can’t get back into play. Williams pushes her to 30-all but Azarenka closes out the hold with another big serve followed by a 90mph ace out wide.
Azarenka breaks in second game of third set!
Third set: Williams 6-1, 3-6, 0-2 Azarenka*
The game resumes with Williams serving at deuce to avoid going down a breeak (with a whole lot more tape on that left ankle). Williams misses on a backhand early in a rally and Azarenka has a break point. Williams saves it with a backhand winner, but Azarenka wins the next point when she rushes to the net and Williams puts it into the net (when Azarenka was open for the pass). A second break point for Azarenka and this time she converts thanks to Williams’s 22nd unforced errror.
Williams medical timeout at 0-1, 40-40 of third set
Third set: *Williams 6-1, 3-6, 0-1, 40-40 Azarenka
Williams races to 40-love going backhand volley winner, 111mph ace out wide and 117mph unreturnable serve. But Azarenka pushes it to deuce after a Williams error followed by a pair of winners. And Williams is grabbing her left ankle after that point. She calls for her trainer. She’s limping to her chair. Patrick Mouratoglou is on his feet. Azarenka has returned to her chair and is sitting there with her eyes closed, trying to keep focus.
Azarenka so chill during that MTO that a bug crawled across her nose and she didn't even flinch. pic.twitter.com/XLFMb5Dca5
— Stephanie Myles (@OpenCourt) September 11, 2020
Updated
Third set: *Williams 6-1, 3-6, 0-1 Azarenka
Serena looking to take charge early, going ahead love-30 on the serve of Azarenka, who’s breathing heavy after these physical points. But Azarenka wins four points on the trot, closing out the hold with a forehand winner at the net.
Azarenka breaks in ninth game of second set!
Second set: Williams 6-1, 3-6 Azarenka
A suddenly error-prone Williams goes down love-15 then 30-40 and Azarenka has a pair of break and set points. And she needs only one of them, crushing a backhand winner! We’re headed to a third and deciding set.
Both players hit 12 winners in the second set, but Williams made eight unforced errors compared to Azarenka’s one.
Updated
Second set: *Williams 6-1, 3-5 Azarenka
Serving at 30-15, the longest rally of the match breaks out with Azarenka running Williams from corner to corner over 21 shots before Vika puts it away with a blistering forehand winner into the corner. Williams pushes it to deuce to make her opponent think about it, but Azarenka responds with a forehand passing winner followed by a 93mph ace out wide to close out the hold. Williams to serve to stay in the second set.
Second set: Williams 6-1, 3-4 Azarenka*
Now it’s getting interesting. Williams, whose timing has gone off in the last few games, goes down 15-30 then 30-40 on her serve, giving Azarenka another look at a break point. Williams saves it with an unreturnable serve. She faces a second break chance a few points later but saves that, too, before escaping with the hold.
Second set: *Williams 6-1, 2-4 Azarenka
Azarenka backs up the break in business-like fashion with Williams failing to get a single return in play.
Azarenka breaks in fifth game of second set!
Second set: Williams 6-1, 2-3 Azarenka*
Well, well, well. Williams makes a pair forehand unforced errors to go down love-30 on her serve, then Azarenka hits a backhand winner for 40-15 and a pair of break points. But she needs only one of them, ripping another backhand winner to nose ahead in the second set. Six winners against zero unforced errors for Azarenka this set.
Second set: *Williams 6-1, 2-2 Azarenka
Azarenka holds at love. She’s won the last seven points on her racket. She’s looked sharper over the last few games, taking the ball earlier and getting deeper into the rallies.
Second set: Williams 6-1, 2-1 Azarenka*
Azarenka pushes Williams to 15-30 on her serve, but Serena rattles off three quick points including a 102mph ace to hold. The final point was the highlight: a grueling 15-stroke rally ending with Serena ripping a forehand winner from the middle of the court.
Second set: *Williams 6-1, 1-1 Azarenka
Azarenka goes down love-15 and 30-40, but saves the break point when Williams can’t get a second serve back in play. Then Azarenka follows with her sixth and seventh winners of the night to close out the hold.
Second set: Williams 6-1, 1-0 Azarenka*
Williams holds at love to open the second set, crushing aces of 118mph and 111mph down the middle.
Williams wins first set, 6-1!
Williams breaks in seventh game of first set!
First set: Williams 6-1 Azarenka
Azarenka wins the first three points and, while it’s unlikely she will come back to win the first set, it seems as if there will be some positive takeaway from how she’s ending it. Then disaster strikes. Williams rattles off four points on the trot and suddenly Azarenka is set point down. She saves it but faces another moments later and this time Williams pounces, hitting a forehand winner at the net for the break and the set.
First set: Williams 5-1 Azarenka*
Azarenka showing fight and a bit more confidence in the rallies. Williams goes down love-15 then 15-30 on her serve, but cracks her first ace of the night for 30-all. Then Azarenka comes to net eary in the point and slots a forehand volley winner for her first break-point chance of the match, but wasted it after spraying a backhand up the line for deuce. Williams holds from there and Azarenka will serve to stay in the opener.
First set: *Williams 4-1 Azarenka
Azarenka plays her best point of the night so far, pushing Williams from corner to corner during a 14-stroke rally, yet bad netcord luck costs her for love-15. She wins the next two points but Williams rips her eighth winner of the night for 30-all. Another spot of pressure for Azarenka, but she rattles off two quick points to hold and finally get on the board.
First set: Williams 4-0 Azarenka*
A straightforward hold for Williams, who’s won all seven of her first-serve points and leads four games to none after only 14 minutes.
First set: *Williams 3-0 Azarenka
Azarenka goes down 15-30, but slots a gorgeous backhand passing winner at the end of a 11-shot rally for 30-all. Williams, who’s been going big early in these points. then crushes a forehand winner for another break chance ... and she converts it when Azarenka makes another unforced error from the baseline. A nightmarish start for Vika, who goes down a double break before the first change of ends.
Serena is LOCKED in through three games 🔒 pic.twitter.com/eB5qvzZ5c8
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 11, 2020
Updated
First set: Williams 2-0 Azarenka*
Williams is matching Azarenka’s shaky start with two double faults to go down 15-30, but she serves her way out of trouble with two unreturnable serves followed by a 110mph service winner down the middle to back up the early break.
Williams breaks in first game of first set!
First set: *Williams 1-0 Azarenka
Azarenka’s first major semi-final in seven years is off to a shaky start. She wins the first point when Williams misfires on a backhand early in baseline rally but is broken from there, making two double faults.
“It means a lot for me,” Osaka says of her return to the US Open final. “I kind of consider New York my second home. I really love the atmosphere even though sadly there’s no people here, I feel like this court really suits me well.”
When asked what’s been most gratifying about the reaction to her decision to wear masks displaying the names of black Americans unjustly killed at the hands of police or civilians, Osaka is to the point.
“For me I feel like just knowing that I’m reaching people,” she says. “I feel like in this bubble I’m not really sure what’s going on in the outside world. Even a couple days ago when I got the video messages [from the parents of Trayvon Martin and Ahmaud Arbery], for me it was really touching. Me and everyone I know cried. Just knowing that people are hearing my voice.”
Updated
Osaka wins 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-3!
Third set: Brady 6-7, 6-3, 3-6 Osaka
Brady wins the first point with a sharply angled forehand that Osaka can’t get into the court. Osaka wins the next with a massive backhand for 15-all, but makes her first double fault of the night for 15-30 and Brady is two points from the break. But Osaka comes back with a 116mph service winner then a forehand winner off the ground for match point. And Osaka converts it with a curved serve that Brady can’t get back. She’s back into the US Open final for the second time in three years!
Third set: Brady 6-7, 6-3, 3-5 Osaka*
Brady holds and Osaka will serve for a place in Saturday’s final.
Third set: *Brady 6-7, 6-3, 2-5 Osaka
Brady is running out of chances to level this match with Osaka giving no quarter on her serve. Another comfortable hold for the 22-year-old and Brady will serve to stay in the tournament after the change of ends.
Third set: Brady 6-7, 6-3, 2-4 Osaka*
Squeaky-bum time as Brady goes down love-30 on her serve. She hits an ace but another Osaka winner pushes it to 15-40. Brady erases the break points with a winner and another ace. She saves a third point moments later before escaping with the hold. Osaka with 12 winners and four unforced errors in this set.
Third set: *Brady 6-7, 6-3, 1-4 Osaka
Osaka backs up the break in convincing fashion, pounding four winners including her ninth ace en route to a straightforward hold. A must-hold game for Brady after the changeover.
Osaka breaks in fourth game of third set!
Third set: Brady 6-7, 6-3, 1-3 Osaka*
Brady wins the opening point on her serve with a forehand volley winner. But Osaka rattles off three quick points, setting up her first break-point chance of the match at 15-40. And she capitalizes as Brady makes an unforced error off the backhand. Osaka noses in front in this deciding set as Brady finally blinks on her serve.
Third set: *Brady 6-7, 6-3, 1-2 Osaka
Three more winners for Osaka, who holds easily. She’s up to 25 on the night against 11 unforced errors. Brady has 28 winners and 20 miscues. The sound of rain coming down in torrents on the roof is resounding throughout the near-empty stadium.
Updated
Third set: Brady 6-7, 6-3, 1-1 Osaka*
Brady is pushed to deuce for only the second timee in 12 service games. An Osaka error gives her game point, but Brady makes her second double fault of the match for deuce. From there Brady answers with a 117mph service winner and 114mph unreturnable serve to hold.
Third set: *Brady 6-7, 6-3, 0-1 Osaka
Osaka flies through her opening service game of the third, holding at love.
Brady wins second set, 6-3!
Second set: Brady 6-7, 6-3 Osaka
And Brady wastes no time closing out the set, racing to an easy hold. We’re headed to a decider in Flushing Meadows!
Brady breaks in eighth game of second set!
Second set: *Brady 6-7, 5-3 Osaka
A moment of pressure of Osaka on her serve as Brady, who’s swinging with great confidence, pushes it to 30-all. She wins the next point to earn her first break-point chance of the night ... and she converts it after getting the best of an 18-shot rally, the longest of the match. Suddenly, Brady will serve for the set and to force a decider.
Second set: Brady 6-7, 4-3 Osaka*
... and Brady breezes through another business-like hold of her own. Still on serve in the second.
Second set: *Brady 6-7, 3-3 Osaka
Osaka holds at love, cracking her seventh and eighth aces of the night along the way ...
Second set: Brady 6-7, 3-2 Osaka*
Brady races out to 40-love with her 18th, 19th and 20th winners of the night, then holds with a deft volley at the net. She’s hit 22 winners against 16 unforced errors, compared to 16 and seven for Osaka, respectively.
Second set: *Brady 6-7, 2-2 Osaka
Osaka is forced to deuce in a service game for only the second time all night, but holds comfortably from there.
Second set: Brady 6-7, 2-1 Osaka*
Brady holds at love to keep step with Osaka. Both have been practically impeccable on their serve all night with only one break point faced between them.
Second set: *Brady 6-7, 1-1 Osaka
More commanding service from Osaka, who closes out another easy hold with a 118mph ace down the pipe. She’s won 24 of 26 first-serve points (92%) tonight.
Second set: Brady 6-7, 1-0 Osaka*
Brady needed a positive service game after balking on her serve a bit in that first-set breaker and that’s was she produced, cruising to a stress-free hold to open the second. Very high quality on both ends.
Osaka wins first set, 7-6 (1)!
First-set tiebreaker: Brady 1-7 Osaka
Osaka wins the first point on her serve, then goes up a minibreak after Brady misfires in the heat of a 16-shot exchange on the next point. Brady follows with a 111mph service winner for 1-2, but finds herself at an early disadvantage. Osaka takes care of next two points on her racket. Then Brady, serving at 1-4, makes another costly unforced error off the forehand to go down a second minibreak as the players change ends. Osaka hits a forehand winner on the next point and she will have five set points, the first two on her racket. But the 2018 US Open champion only needs one of them, crushing a 120mph thunderbolt down the middle that Brady can’t return into the court. What a set and what a tiebreaker for Osaka, who is one set from the final.
What a battle to begin.
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 11, 2020
But @naomiosaka takes the first set in a tiebreak.
One set away from the #USOpen final... pic.twitter.com/2roKCI97ax
Updated
First set: Brady 6-6 Osaka
Brady opens with her fifth ace, but a pair of Osaka winners push it to 30-all and suddenly Osaka is two points from the set. But Brady holds her nerve and wins the next two points to force the breaker.
First set: *Brady 5-6 Osaka
Osaka holds from love-15 down, cracking her four ace of the night along the way. Brady will serve to force a first-set tiebreaker after the change of ends.
First set: Brady 5-5 Osaka*
Another comfortable hold for Brady, who is hitting the cover off the ball. She’s already hit 13 winners against eight unforced errors. Only one break point faced by either so far.
85 mph on that forehand 🔥@naomiosaka I #USOpen pic.twitter.com/vPllGCX5Eb
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 10, 2020
Updated
First set: *Brady 4-5 Osaka
Osaka holds at love, cracking a 116mph ace to the body to close it out. She’s was 16 of 17 first-serve points so far, a formidable 94% clip. Brady will serve to stay in the first set after the changeover.
First set: Brady 4-4 Osaka*
Osaka wins the first point on Brady’s serve, getting the best of a 12-shot baseline rally, the longest of the match so far. Brady wins three quick points, but Osaka pushes it to deuce. From there Brady slots in two unreturnable serves. On we go, on serve in the first. And, yes, Cordae is in the building.
Can we get a supportive boyfriend award for @cordae?
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) September 10, 2020
👏 🥰@naomiosaka || #USOpen pic.twitter.com/50jILqQX3u
Updated
First set: *Brady 3-4 Osaka
Osaka goes ace, forehand winner, ace on the first three points and appears bound for another easy hold. But Brady pushes it back to deuce and earns her first break chance of the night with a backhand return winner. Osaka saves it with a second-serve service winner, then rattles off two quick points to escape with the hold.
First set: Brady 3-3 Osaka*
Brady cruises to another business-like hold, capping it with a 112mph ace down the middle.
First set: *Brady 2-3 Osaka
Brady puts a bit of pressure on Osaka’s serve after pounding a forehand winner for 15-30. But Osaka holds comfortably from there. Still on serve in the opening set.
First set: Brady 2-2 Osaka*
An early chance for Osaka on Brady’s serve as the American makes an unforced forehand error followed by her first double fault of the night. But Brady wins four quick points from there, closing out the hold with a forehand winner and a 113mph ace out wide.
First set: Brady 1-1 Osaka*
Brady is pushed to 30-all in her opening service game, but follows with a forehand volley winner at the net then a 112mph ace out wide to hold. Some big ball-striking on both sides early on.
No surprises here. BIG power early from @jennifurbrady95 💪pic.twitter.com/jxwuMGMeSr
— wta (@WTA) September 10, 2020
Updated
First set: *Brady 0-1 Osaka (*denotes next server)
Osaka, who’s served so well in her five wins so far, cruises through her opening service game, closing out a love hold with a crisp forehand winner from the baseline.
The players have taken the court for their warm-ups. Osaka is wearing a facemask with the name of Philando Castile, the 32-year-old black motorist who was shot to death by a Minnesota police officer in 2016.
Naomi Osaka wearing a mask before tonight's US Open semifinal with the name of Philando Castile, the 32-year-old black motorist who was shot to death by a Minnesota police officer in 2016. pic.twitter.com/rZkFaqhqQu
— Bryan Armen Graham (@BryanAGraham) September 10, 2020
Hello and welcome to Arthur Ashe Stadium for tonight’s US Open women’s semi-final twinbill. Naomi Osaka and Jennifer Brady are set to meet in tonight’s first match, followed by a throwback special between Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka in the nightcap.
Osaka and Brady should be on court just after the top the hour for their warm-ups. In the meantime, here’s a glance at all four of tonight’s semi-finalists by the numbers:
Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s how Naomi Osaka fared in her last match:
Naomi Osaka continued to underscore her status as the favourite to win the US Open title as she won her ninth consecutive match since the tour restart, moving into the semi-finals with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Shelby Rogers.
“I feel pretty good,” Osaka said afterwards. “I think all of the matches were really tough. The scoreline might not suggest it but I’ve had a couple of really hard matches. I think that made me really glad to be in this position right now.”
Osaka entered the court wearing a mask bearing the name of George Floyd, whose killing at the hands of police was the catalyst for her activism. She had previously amplified the names of Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin and Breonna Taylor, all high-profile cases of Black people unjustly killed at the hands of police or civilians. After the match, ESPN broadcasted messages from Arbery’s father and Martin’s mother for Osaka.
“I was just trying really hard not to cry,” said Osaka. “For me it’s a bit surreal. It’s extremely touching that they would feel touched by what I’m doing. For me, I feel like what I’ve doing is nothing. It’s a speck of what I could be doing. It was really emotional. I feel like, I don’t know, after I saw it, at first I was a bit in shock. Now that I’m here and I took the time, I don’t know, I’m really grateful and I’m really humbled.”
