Osaka Advances to Canadian Open Semifinals

MONTREAL: In a commanding display at Centre Court on Tuesday, former Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka secured a spot in the Canadian Open semi-finals. She achieved this with a decisive 6-2, 6-2 victory over Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals.

This result marks Osaka’s first appearance in a WTA 1000 semi-final since 2022, a notable achievement in her ongoing comeback journey following maternity leave.

The four-time Grand Slam champion needed just an hour to overcome the tenth-seeded Svitolina, showcasing powerful baseline strokes and maintaining composure throughout the match.

Osaka quickly established her dominance, capitalizing on Svitolina’s errors to gain two breaks and move closer to securing the opening set.

Despite briefly losing her serve, the Japanese player regained her composure, immediately broke back, and confidently concluded the first set.

The second set saw Svitolina attempting a comeback, adding a bit more competitiveness, but Osaka effectively maintained control. She converted two additional break points, sealing a straight-sets victory in Montreal.

Reflecting on her performance, Osaka shared her enthusiasm and relief at rediscovering her top form:

“I think for me, I’m just having a lot of fun playing and I’m really glad to be here,” Osaka stated.

“She’s [Tauson] really tough. I played her in Auckland this year and had to stop halfway because I was injured. So, I’m really excited that I’m healthy, and I hope it’s a good match for everyone.”

Osaka is set to face Denmark’s 16th seed, Clara Tauson, in the next round. Tauson reached the semi-finals after securing successive victories over top-10 players, including American sixth seed Madison Keys (6-1, 6-4) and six-time major winner Iga Swiatek.