Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams make for a solid semifinal pairing as they face off in the 2021 Australian Open semifinal to be played on Thursday, February 18. Get regular updates in this live blog on this mouth-watering semifinal from Melbourne Park as the hunt for a place in the final makes for an interesting viewing.
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Naomi Osaka v Serena Williams Live Score
Osaka 6-3, 6-4 Serena (* denotes next server, please refresh for the latest scores & update)
Other Osaka v Serena Match Details
- Match Timing: 2 pm AEDT (10 pm Eastern Time previous day, 3.30 am GMT, 12 noon Tokyo time, 8.30 am IST)
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Live Updates
Set 2, Game 10
Here we go then. In a matter of minutes, this match has turned twice. First Osaka was broken back and then she broke Serena to love. Can she serve it out here?
Back to back to back first serves in from Osaka, probably for the first time in the match and she has raced away to a 40-0 lead to give Osaka three match-points. Serena keeps the next serve in but Osaka is too good for her, and completes a rather facile 6-3, 6-4 win!
That’s eight points in a row for Osaka following three double-faults from the Osaka serve in the eighth game. What a player. What a turnaround!
Set 2, Game 9
The momentum might not have swung but it sure has shifted. Serena has a chance to now go 5-4 up here…
…but she starts off with a fault and Osaka takes advantage of the second serve. Back to back backhand winners, of the highest quality given the angle involved for the second one at least, gives Osaka an opening and this time around it’s Serena who dishes out a double-fault. Three break-points for Osaka this time.
And Osaka out-runs Serena again to deliver her third winner of the game to break the 23-time winner. Osaka will be serving for the match soon.
Set 2, Game 8
Moments ago, Sofia Kenin and her dad were shown watching this match from the stands. Wonder what they would be thinking here.
A very good return of serve from Serena pushes Osaka on to the back-foot early and gets the American the start she needs, which is then bolstered by an Osaka double-fault. Again, the first serve refuses to bail Osaka out and a second double-fault gives Serena three break-points out of nowhere!
Osaka misses another first serve, fourth of the game, but manages to win the point thanks to her ability to make a very tough shot before forcing Serena long and drawing an error. Two saved, can she save the next one too? Nope, a double-fault follows yet again and Serena has BROKEN BACK!
Set 2, Game 7
Three brilliant serves in gets Serena to 40-0 before an error gives Osaka a point. She would have loved to close it out quickly and she does that when an Osaka backhand return goes just long to keep Serena within touching distance.
Can the American break back though?
Set 2, Game 6
Another first serve missed, but this time Serena takes advantage and a short rally later gets an Osaka error. She then follows it up with an unforced error on return while a strong Osaka serve gets her 30-15 up.
Another bludgeoning serve – where were they earlier! – gets her to a couple of game points and follows it up another brilliant serve to wrap up the game. This is getting away from Serena and quickly.
Set 2, Game 5
An easy forehand miss gets Serena to exclaim with a wry smile, almost a “what is happening today” look from the 23-time Grand Slam winner but that’s followed by two points in her favour, leading to some more reaction from the American. An Osaka forehand error hits the net-cord and again goes the way of Serena to keep the American in the match, Osaka still a break up.
She has looked a pale shadow of her usual self in this tournament, especially since the third game of the game, but this relatively easy hold should help a tad.
Set 2, Game 4
A loopy second serve draws out a poor return from Serena but Osaka herself then misses one to make it 15-15. A decent rally later, Serena attempts to hit a winner from the baseline but only finds the net before some powerful Osaka groundstrokes gets Serena to err again.
Two game-points for Osaka this time, and while the first one sees her to deliver a double-fault – her fifth – she wraps up the game off the next with a sizzling forehand winner.
Set 2, Game 3
The net cord comes to the rescue of Serena at 0-15 down, the ball mildly popping back on to Osaka’s court and Serena follows it up with an ace, the fastest serve of the match. She follows it up with another booming serve to get herself two game-points. Serena converts the very first one after Osaka shanks a backhand wide.
Serena finally on board.
Set 2, Game 2
A couple of short balls from Serena sets up a smashing winner from Osaka and a booming first serve draws out another error from Serena to get the world number three a 30-0 lead. A backhand winner off the Osaka second serve gets Serena a look in and a fourth double-fault levels things off at 30-30.
Osaka follows it up with an ace down the middle to give herself a game-point and a second down wide to go 2-0 up in the second game. That’s what Serena was leading by not so long ago.
Set 2, Game 1
Serena yells out, “make a shot” after having done just that and then screams out loudly after an Osaka forehand error. But a solid return from Osaka sets her up nicely to hit a backhand winner and get it 30-30 and then another Serena gives Osaka a break-point.
Serena misses her first serve at a crucial juncture, allowing Osaka the advantage of taking on her second serve, and aided by a net cord, she its a winner to break the Serena serve!
Set 1, Game 9
Serena is fired up but that’s not helping her, not off the first two points, both of them errors off the Serena groundstrokes which get Osaka to within a couple of points of the set. And then comes the Osaka serve to Serena’s rescue as she serves a double-fault.
A pacy first serve follows though to give Osaka two set-points, and another excellent winner off the forehand wins the Japanese the first set in a hurry. This has been a strange turnaround, bit of a battle between Osaka’s poor first serves (36%) and Serena’s piling unforced errors (16).
Set 1, Game 8
Serena wins a point to get the ball rolling, and follows it up with an ace to go 30-0 up. Couple of points later, Serena has a couple of game-points to remain in the set, and another excellent first serve from the American wins her a confident game.
Superb serving to stay in the set.
Set 1, Game 7
She might be missing the first serves but Serena hasn’t been able to take advantage of the second serves in more recent times in the set. And add a couple of good first serves, including an ace right down the middle we are suddenly looking at Osaka 40-0 up.
Another second serve, another Serena error and it leads to a fourth game in a row for Osaka. And the quickest of the set as well.
Serena looks slightly rattled in the last three games or so, hitting far too many unforced errors.
Set 1, Game 6
An excellent Serena serve to Osaka’s forehand brings out an error off the first point but the Japanese player rallies back to keep herself in the next two rallies. Serena wants to finish off those two points but ends up sending them wide and when Osaka works herself into the next point, ending it with a solid backhand down the line she has two break-points.
Needs just the first one to hit a forehand winner that gets Osaka the break!
Missing: Osaka’s first serve… Where are you? ? #AusOpen
— wtaaddict ? (@wtaaddict) February 18, 2021
Set 1, Game 5
Osaka continues to struggle with her first serves, giving Serena a chance to get in early in the rally on her second serves, going down 0-30. A good serve in gets Osaka her first point of the game before she smashes a winner to level things out.
Serena gets another chance to break when Osaka misses a forehand off the net cord, hitting it long but the world number three isn’t giving up, slowly coming into this. She rushes into the rally as Serena hits one short enough and smacks a winner before a Serena unforced error on return gets Osaka a game-point.
A second deuce follows with Osaka continuing to struggle to make that first serve but off she gets her second serve to kick and forces a Serena error giving Osaka game-point. Finally, she converts it to go 3-2 up – the first time she is in lead in this match.
Set 1, Game 4
An excellent serve down straight to start things off from Serena wins her the opening point, but a forehand lands rather deep to give Osaka the next one.
The world number three then follows it up with a couple of unforced errors, one landing in the net and the other going long to give Serena a couple of game-points. Osaka gets some time on a forehand and launches a winner to save the first before an excellent rally allows Osaka a look with a Serena error. Deuce.
Bit of running around from side to side after a huge Serena serve gets Serena her second game-point, but Osaka saves it again via another booming forehand across. A lucky net cord helps Osaka come back into a rally and she backhands one across Serena who has to rush to the net but is unable to get it over to give Osaka a break-point.
Serena has a chance to bang a forehand for a winner but she hits it long to Osaka the break back!
Set 1, Game 3
Osaka needs to get a few first serves going like she did on the second point which Serena hits wide. A long-ish rally follows soon after which Osaka struggles on and hits the net before an unforced error off the forehand gone wide makes it 30-30.
Another double-fault follows to give Serena a chance for a double-break but Osaka remains in the game thanks to a Serena error. She wins the next point to give herself a game-point before hammering an ace to close out the game. Relief all around for Osaka fans.
This has been bit of a vintage performance from Serena, come out all guns blazing but must also add here that Osaka hasn’t looked very nimble. Yet.
Set 1, Game 2
Osaka had a double-fault in her first game, Serena starts off with an ace. A solid few groundstrokes from Serena force Osaka to hit long before the American smashes the next wide off Osaka to go 40-0 up. Far too easy so far.
A forehand error from Serena keeps Osaka in the game but the Japanese returns the compliment with a backhand error to give Serena the game. 2-0.
Set 1, Game 1
Osaka starts off with a solid serve and an early Serena error wins her the first point. But Serena shows early signs of jumping right into the contest with an excellent return winner, followed by an Osaka double-fault which gives the American an early opening.
Another fault to start off, forcing Osaka on the back-foot in that rally which Serena takes advantage of and brings out another error to get herself two break points. Osaka saves one of them with a Serena error helping her out but then Osaka shanks a backhand into the net to give Serena the break!
2.15 pm local time (4.15 am BST)
Both players are on court, so are a handful of fans. Not a full stadium by any stretch but enough to make some noise!
The coin toss gets called by Serena, who calls for ‘ANZ’ but it lands on the other side for Osaka to win it. Not a lot has been spoken of in tennis and coin tosses, not as much as cricket for sure where toss plays a substantial role, but I wonder if any research has been done on this. #EarlyMorningMusings
2 pm local time (4 am BST)
Moments away from the start of this first semifinal with visuals of Serena warming up in the gym with her trainer and coach. She should soon be out out on court, followed by Osaka, who is on a 19-match winning streak.
The Japanese player has had a couple of withdrawals in those but is yet to be beaten by a player on the tour since her third round loss at the previous season’s Australian Open where she went down to Cori Gauff!
And now Osaka warming up too, ready to get called down the aisle leading through to the Rod Laver Arena.
1.30 pm local time (3.30 am BST)
Osaka will be wary of the Serena defense and the way she has turned defense into offense throughout the tournament. Her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou reckons this is the best Serena has played since returning to tennis after becoming a mother.
Serena thinks so too.
Reporter ✍️: “When was the last time you felt those rallies belonged to you”@serenawilliams ?: “The summer of 1926 was the last time I felt that….” ??#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/MZnRkfct1G
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 16, 2021
1.15 pm local time (3.15 am BST)
Hello, good morning and a warm welcome to our live scores and updates for the first women’s singles semifinal between the world number three Osaka and the 11th-ranked Serena. It promises to be an exciting encounter, thanks mainly due to the levels of tennis exhibited by both of them.
Also, the crowds are back at the Rod Laver Arena from today, following the lifting of the state quarantine. This should add some spice to the contest; was sad to watch the Nadal-Tsitsipas thriller yesterday without anyone bar the player support-staff in Melbourne.
Serena v Osaka Preview
Some might call this the final before the final and to be honest it feels like that. No disrespect to the other two semifinalists, Karolina Muchova and Jennifer Brady, but the contrast in quality is stark.
This semifinal will see a 23-time Grand Slam winner taking on one who has won three majors and achieved a lot off the court as well. And what makes this extra special is the manner in which Serena has come of age in this competition, the manner in which she has chased balls, the manner in which her defensive play has risen to levels not seen before in a long time.
And that showed in her wins over both Aryna Sabalenka and Simona Halep; one a hard hitter of the ball and the other who was expected to run Serena around.
That said, Osaka will be no pushover. Not by any stretch.
For one, her tennis quality has been second to none in recent times, resulting in eight wins in a row in recent times, and 19 in a row since the resumption of tennis in August 2020. Osaka did face two match-points in her fourth round encounter against Garbine Muguruza but even there, what was on display was her tenacity as she came back to clinch that encounter.
Incidentally these two players had met in an exhibition match as recently as last month in which Serena had come through in the match tie-breaker of the third set, 10-7. Other than that, their head to head stands 2-1 in favour of Osaka, which includes a win in the final of that infamous 2018 US Open final.
Who would it be this time?
Follow our live blog & updates here from 3 pm local time (2 pm BST or 9 am Eastern time) for the Osaka-Serena match.
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