US Open

Mind-game, set and match

In-form Osaka and Azarenka show great mental strength to reach today's final

NAOMI OSAKA (left), VICTORIA AZARENKA (right)

NEW YORK • There is no denying the meeting of tennis' most in-form players in the US Open women's singles final.

A fortnight ago, Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Western & Southern Open with a hamstring injury, handing Victoria Azarenka the title.

The Belarusian can expect a much bigger battle for her first Grand Slam crown since 2013 when she faces the Japanese at Arthur Ashe Stadium today.

Osaka, on a 10-game winning run, said a new mindset had helped her to an unbeaten record since tennis resumed after the coronavirus shutdown and she is determined to take it with her into her third Grand Slam final.

The 22-year-old appeared unflustered throughout a high-quality US Open semi-final against American Jenny Brady on Thursday and emerged a 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 6-3 winner.

The 2018 US Open and 2019 Australian Open champion now gets to test her mental strength against a revitalised Azarenka, who stunned Serena Williams in Thursday's other blockbuster semi-final.

"I feel like the older you get, the more mentally strong you are," the Japanese told reporters. "I think that's something that you learn from being on the Tour for such a long time, playing so many matches.

"For me, definitely my goal during these two tournaments was to be more mentally strong and to fight for every point. So that's what I'm going to go into the final with. Nothing is going to change that."

Osaka's activism has boosted her motivation.

The fourth seed, whose mother is Japanese and father is Haitian, has been protesting against racial injustice.

After walking out to the court for her opener wearing a mask featuring the name of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman killed by police officers, she revealed she had seven masks in total - one for each stage.

She will get to don the seventh one today, when the unseeded Azarenka will be no less driven.

The former world No. 1's return to the top has been a long road full of challenges and injury setbacks.

Azarenka returned from maternity leave in 2017 after having her son Leo, only to have a bruising custody battle with her former partner that kept her from competing in that year's Flushing Meadows campaign.

The 31-year-old went a set down to Williams on Thursday but showed great mental strength, and no small talent, to beat the 23-time Major singles champion at a Grand Slam for the first time in 11 attempts.

It was also her 11th straight win after going a full calendar year without a single Tour-level victory.

"I just feel I'm very proud of myself that I took that challenge up from losing and turn it around and become better," said the runner-up at the US Open to Williams in 2012 and 2013.

"I'm not talking about a better tennis player. I'm talking about a better person for myself, for my son. That's what I'm most proud of."

Azarenka defeated Osaka in their only meeting on a hard court at a Grand Slam - a 6-1, 6-2 victory in the round of 32 at the 2016 Australian Open. Osaka won their subsequent meetings - round-of-64 encounters in Rome in 2018 and last year's French Open.

"Going to be super fun," Azarenka said of the upcoming clash, having sat in her assigned suite to watch some of the Osaka-Brady thriller. "She plays incredible."

REUTERS


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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 12, 2020, with the headline Mind-game, set and match. Subscribe