Naomi Osaka overpowers America’s Rogers for US Open semi-final
Naomi Osaka has booked her second semi-final spot at the US Open, in three years, to keep alive her pursuit of a second trophy at Flushing Meadows.
She did it emphatically on Tuesday, beating American Shelby Rogers 6-3 6-4, with her sharp serving and superior return game.
Osaka, who was 0-3 lifetime against Rogers coming into the match, broke at love to take a 5-3 lead in the first set where Rogers hit 16 unforced errors to Osaka’s five and held serve to claim the set.
The fourth-seeded Osaka broke again early in the second set for a 2-1 lead and sealed the win when Rogers dumped a forehand into the net on match point for her 28th unforced error.
“Honestly, I felt like she had the upper hand because I’d never beaten her and those memories are stuck in my head,” said the 22-year-old Osaka, who last faced Rogers in 2017.
“So, yeah, I consider this a little bit of revenge.”
Osaka once again had tape wrapped around her left thigh but said it was just as a precaution.
Next up for Osaka is in-form American Jennifer Brady, who beat Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva in straight sets earlier in the day.
“I think she’s a really amazing player, she has the variety that I wish I had so I’m a bit jealous,” Osaka said.
“But, yeah, she’s super nice and I think it’s going to be a really tough match and I think we’re both going to try our best.”
Osaka entered the court wearing a black mask with George Floyd’s name on it as part of her ongoing protest against racial injustice.
Floyd, a Black man, died in police custody in Minneapolis in May after an officer pinned him to the ground by his throat.
