Sizzling Naomi Osaka to face Clara Tauson in WTA Canadian Open semis

MONTREAL – Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka was having “a lot of fun” as she advanced to the semi-finals of the WTA Canadian Open on Aug 5 with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over 10th seed Elina Svitolina.

The Japanese, chasing her first WTA Tour-level title since the 2021 Australian Open, needed only 68 minutes to dispatch the Ukrainian and book a semi-final with Danish 16th seed Clara Tauson, who stunned reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys 6-1, 6-4.

“I’m just having a lot of fun playing. I’m glad to be here,” said Osaka, who defeated Svitolina for the fifth time in eight matches to reach the Canadian Open last four for the first time in her career.

“I think I’ll be seeded in the US Open because I won my match. That was a really good goal for me. I’m just really excited.”

Tauson, meanwhile, dedicated her victory to her late grandfather, who died on Aug 3 as the Dane was dispatching Polish second seed Iga Swiatek, who won her sixth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in July.

“Two days ago, my grandfather unfortunately passed away, so I really wanted to win for him today,” a tearful Tauson said after beating American Keys, the sixth seed.

“I was told the day after I beat Iga, so I really wanted to come out and show my best tennis for him. Hopefully, he’s watching.”

The US Open hard-court tune-up in Montreal is the first event where Tauson has beaten two top-10 foes, in Swiatek and Keys.

Tauson dominated the opening set and took full advantage of Keys giving up a break on a double fault to open the second.

The Dane won 12 of 19 points on her second serves and kept Keys at bay most of the night.

Keys joined a scrap heap of Montreal seeds, with the top five seeds and seven of the top 10 seeds ousted before the quarter-finals.

Tauson, 22, is seeking her fourth career WTA Tour title after the 2021 Lyon and Luxembourg Opens and the 2025 Auckland Open, where Osaka retired after winning the first set of the final in their only meeting.

“She’s really tough,” Osaka, 27, said of Tauson. “I played her in Auckland this year. I had to stop halfway because I was injured. So I’m really excited that I’m healthy.”

Osaka is aiming for her eighth WTA Tour-level title, and her first since a comeback from maternity leave in 2024.

She broke for a 3-1 edge in the opening set and exchanged breaks in the last three games to capture the set after 38 minutes, then cruised through the second set, taking the triumph when Svitolina hit a forehand wide.

Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, and 18-year-old Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko will meet in the other semi-final.

Rybakina won their only previous meeting 6-3, 7-5 in the second round at Washington in July.

In the men’s tournament, second seed Taylor Fritz overcame a late niggle while serving for the match to beat Andrey Rublev 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) and reach the last four of the Masters event in Toronto.

The American claimed his place in a fifth semi-final of 2025 after losing serve while trying to close out what had been looking like a quick win, finally coming through after 81 minutes.

Fritz, 27, admitted he was struck by brain freeze as he served for victory leading a set and 5-4.

“That game was so shaky for me. We had both been holding serve easily, everything felt calm and chill,” said Fritz, who claimed his 20th hard-court win of the season.

“It came out of nowhere, the pressure of that game. It was tight and my brain just turned off. The only thing you can do is come back and win the set.”

He will next take on compatriot Ben Shelton, who beat Alex de Minaur of Australia 6-3, 6-4.

AFP, REUTERS