US Open Glance: Naomi Osaka vs. Victoria Azarenka in final

LOOKAHEAD TO SATURDAY

When tennis resumed last month from a five-month hiatus prompted by coronavirus pandemic, it was impossible to kw exactly what to expect. Turns out Naomi Osaka and Victoria Azarenka have been far and away two best women in sport, which is why y will face each or Saturday in U.S. Open final. Both used to be ranked . 1; both already own two Grand Slam titles. Osaka is 10-0 since sport returned. Azarenka lost her very first match back but has reeled off 11 consecutive victories since, capped by a 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 elimination of Serena Williams in semifinals Thursday night. Osaka and Azarenka were supposed to meet in final of Western & Sourn Open two weeks ago — that tournament was moved from its usual home in Ohio to Flushing Meadows as part of a two-event “controlled environment” to limit travel during pandemic — but Osaka withdrew because of an injured left hamstring. That leg hasn’t hampered her during U.S. Open, which she won in 2018, n followed up with a title at 2019 Australian Open. Osaka and Azarenka both have been playing clean tennis from baseline. Osaka — whose coach used to work with Azarenka — relies mainly on her big forehand; Azarenka’s top stroke is her backhand. One intriguing element should be Osaka’s serving against Azarenka’s returning. Osaka ranks . 2 in 128-woman field by winning 93% of her service games, 65 of 70; Azarenka ranks . 2 by winning 55% of her return games, 31 of 56.

SATURDAY’S FORECAST

Sunny. High of 73 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees Celsius).

FRIDAY’S WEAR

Cloudy. High of 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius).

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

Men’s Singles Semifinals: . 5 Alexander Zverev beat . 20 Pablo Carreño Busta 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3; . 2 Dominic Thiem vs. . 3 Daniil Medvedev.

Women’s Doubles Final: Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva beat . 3 Nicole Melichar and Xu Yifan 6-4, 6-4.

STAT OF DAY

36, 21 — Unforced errors in first two sets, n in last three sets, for Zverev in is comeback victory.

QUOTE OF DAY

“Mentally, I stayed in it. ... A lot of players would have gone away.” — Zverev on his first career win in a match after dropping first two sets.

Im credits: AP