Naomi Osaka Books Another Final Spot at US Open

Japanese star and two Grand slam winner, Naomi Osaka has booked her second final in three years at the US Open, beating American Jennifer Brady 7-6 3-6 6-3.

The first set was decided by a tie break, in which Osaka was clearly dominant, winning 7-1.

Brady, who did not drop a set up till the semi-final stage, came roaring back in the second set. She took it 6-3.

The deciding set saw the 4th seed Osaka breaking Brady to go 3-1.

She never faltered henceforth as she closed the set 6-3, for another final match.

Her opponent will be either Belarusian Victoria Azarenka or Naomi’s 2018 foe, 38 year-old Serena Williams.

Osaka had walked out for her semi-final match in Arthur Ashe Stadium in a Philando Castile mask, to highlight racial injustice in America..

For each match, she wore a different face mask, on which is etched the name of a Black American victim of police brutality.

In round one, she wore the mask for Breonna Taylor, the 26 year-old killed by police in her apartment.

In round 2, her mask was for Elijah McClain, killed in Colorado.

In the quarter-finals, she came in with George Floyd mask, the 46 year-old asphyxiated by policemen in Minneapolis, whose death triggered global demonstrations of Black Lives Matter.

September 11, 2020