SERENA WILLIAMS SECURES FIRST WIN OVER NAOMI OSAKA IN TORONTO
TORONTO – Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka advanced to the Rogers Cup quarterfinals on Thursday to set up their first meeting since the American’s infamous row with an umpire overshadowed last year’s U.S. Open final.
Unlike the match at Flushing Meadows last year, where Osaka won her first grand slam title, there were no fiery exchanges with the umpire, no smashed rackets, no point or game penalties – just a rock-solid performance from Williams.
The 37-year-old is looking to shore up her hardcourt game for the US Open where she will chase a record-tying 24th career grand slam title.
On Friday the pair will play in the quarter-finals of the Rogers Cup in Toronto. Williams, a three-times champion at the tournament, overcame a sluggish start on Thursday to earn a 7-5 6-4 win over Russian qualifier Ekaterina Alexandrova. Japanese second seed Osaka then closed out the day’s action with a 7-6(4) 6-4 win over Polish qualifier Iga Swiatek.
“I’ve been actually looking forward to playing her for a while,” Williams said of the Osaka match-up.
Osaka will go from No. 2 to No. 1 on Monday when the new ranking is announced. She played Williams for the first time since beating her last year in the United States Open final.
Halep is playing in her first event since beating Williams in the Wimbledon final.
Williams, who is eager to get more hard-court matches under her belt before seeking a record-tying 24th career Grand Slam at the U.S. Open, came back from an early double-break down, helped in part by eight double-faults by Alexandrova in the first set.
The American eighth seed, in her first career meeting with Alexandrova, went down a break again and trailed 3-1 in the second but her serve suddenly started to click as she stormed back to 3-3 and from there raced home.
She struck earlier in the second set with a break in the third game to go ahead 2-1 and never looked back as she went on to secure her first victory from three career meetings with Osaka.
"We haven't played since New York which was a really good match for her and I just wanted to come out and try to win a set this time because she's beaten me twice so I just wanted to do the best I could today," Williams said in an on-court interview.
Up next for Halep will be in-form Czech qualifier Marie Bouzkova, who breezed by former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-2 6-2 and has yet to drop a set.
Earlier on Thursday, Czech third seed Karolina Pliskova beat Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-3 7-5 to set up a last eight meeting with Canadian Bianca Andreescu, who upset Dutch fifth seed Kiki Bertens 6-1 6-7(7) 6-4.
Unlike the match at Flushing Meadows last year, where Osaka won her first grand slam title, there were no fiery exchanges with the umpire, no smashed rackets, no point or game penalties – just a rock-solid performance from Williams.
The 37-year-old is looking to shore up her hardcourt game for the US Open where she will chase a record-tying 24th career grand slam title.
On Friday the pair will play in the quarter-finals of the Rogers Cup in Toronto. Williams, a three-times champion at the tournament, overcame a sluggish start on Thursday to earn a 7-5 6-4 win over Russian qualifier Ekaterina Alexandrova. Japanese second seed Osaka then closed out the day’s action with a 7-6(4) 6-4 win over Polish qualifier Iga Swiatek.
“I’ve been actually looking forward to playing her for a while,” Williams said of the Osaka match-up.
Osaka will go from No. 2 to No. 1 on Monday when the new ranking is announced. She played Williams for the first time since beating her last year in the United States Open final.
Halep is playing in her first event since beating Williams in the Wimbledon final.
Williams, who is eager to get more hard-court matches under her belt before seeking a record-tying 24th career Grand Slam at the U.S. Open, came back from an early double-break down, helped in part by eight double-faults by Alexandrova in the first set.
The American eighth seed, in her first career meeting with Alexandrova, went down a break again and trailed 3-1 in the second but her serve suddenly started to click as she stormed back to 3-3 and from there raced home.
She struck earlier in the second set with a break in the third game to go ahead 2-1 and never looked back as she went on to secure her first victory from three career meetings with Osaka.
"We haven't played since New York which was a really good match for her and I just wanted to come out and try to win a set this time because she's beaten me twice so I just wanted to do the best I could today," Williams said in an on-court interview.
Up next for Halep will be in-form Czech qualifier Marie Bouzkova, who breezed by former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-2 6-2 and has yet to drop a set.
Earlier on Thursday, Czech third seed Karolina Pliskova beat Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-3 7-5 to set up a last eight meeting with Canadian Bianca Andreescu, who upset Dutch fifth seed Kiki Bertens 6-1 6-7(7) 6-4.
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