Osaka ousts Rogers, to face Brady in US Open semis

New York, Sep. 9 (IANS): Japan’s Naomi Osaka advanced to the semi-finals of the ongoing US Open, defeating Shelby Rogers in straight sets at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

On Tuesday, Osaka ousted Rogers 6-3, 6-4 in 79 minutes to make it to US Open semi-finals for the second time in her career.

“I’m aware that the opponents that I play from now on are going to be very tough,” 4th-seeded Osaka said, in her post-match press conference as per the WTA website. “For me, I think the last two Grand Slams, everything happened so fast, I wasn’t really in the moment. I’m just really happy to be in the semis, and hopefully I can keep going.”

Osaka fired 24 winners, including seven aces, and made only eight unforced errors. The Japanese player, who won the first of her two consecutive Grand Slam titles in New York two years ago, was nearly peerless off of her first serve, winning 83 per cent of points when she got that shot into play.

“The big thing for me was to be the aggressor and to be okay with making unforced errors,” said Osaka. “Apparently I didn’t make that many. But, yeah, just to accept the unforced errors because I know that I’m going for shots.”

Osaka will now face No.28 seed Jennifer Brady in the final four. Brady had dispatched No.23 seed Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan earlier on Tuesday to reach her first-ever Grand Slam semifinal.