Naomi Osaka into second consecutive Grand Slam final after hitting 56 winners and 15 aces to beat Karolina Pliskova in Australian Open classic
- Naomi Osaka beat Karolina Pliskova to reach Sunday’s Australian Open final
- Osaka hit five aces and did not face a break point as she won the first set 6-2
- The 21-year-old broke at the start of set two but Pliskova hit back to take it 6-4
- Osaka saved three break points early in the decider and then broke to love
- With momentum behind her, Osaka powered on to seal victory after 113 minutes
Naomi Osaka booked her place in her second consecutive Grand Slam final by battling past Karolina Pliskova at the Australian Open on Thursday.
The No 4 seed, who won last year’s US Open, took 113 minutes to overcome the woman who had stunned Serena Williams 24 hours earlier.
Osaka hit a remarkable 56 winners en route to a breathtaking 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 victory.
Naomi Osaka beat Karolina Pliskova to reach Sunday’s Australian Open final 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
Fourth seed Osaka returned serve well and broke her opponent four times on Rod Laver Arena
Osaka served excellently and delivered 15 aces — 12 more than her opponent produced
Twenty-one-year-old Osaka celebrated winning a point with a clenched left fist in Melbourne
She raced through the first set and sealed it with three aces in the final game.
The Japanese star immediately broke at the start of the second but Pliskova hit back in a set of the highest quality to take it 6-4.
Osaka saved three break points early in the decider and then, with momentum behind her, broke to love in the following game to take a crucial lead.
She continued to serve superbly and sealed victory with ace No 15, which was confirmed by Hawk-Eye.
Pliskova, who had beaten seven-time champ Serena Williams 24 hours earlier, looked focussed
Osaka raised her finger to challenge a line judge’s call using the Hawk-Eye review system
Pliskova used a colorful towel to dry her face during a change of ends at a hot Melbourne Park
Osaka refuelled by taking a sip of water during a break between games in Thursday’s semi-final
No 7 seed Pliskova played very well in what was one of the matches of the tournament so far