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 the coronavirus pandemic, it was impossible to know exactly what to expect. Turns out Naomi Osaka and Victoria Azarenka have been far and away the two best women in the sport, which is why they will face each other Saturday in the U.S. Open final. Both used to be ranked No. 1; both already own two Grand Slam titles. Osaka is 10-0 since the 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 the semifinals Thursday night. Osaka and Azarenka were supposed to meet in the final of the Western & Southern 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 the pandemic — but Osaka withdrew because of an injured left hamstring. That leg hasn’t hampered her during the U.S. Open, which she won in 2018, then followed up with a title at the 2019 Australian Open. Osaka and Azarenka both have been playing clean tennis from the 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 No. 2 in the 128-woman field by winning 93% of her service games, 65 of 70; Azarenka ranks No. 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 WEATHER

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

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

Men’s Singles Semifinals: No. 5 Alexander Zverev beat No. 20 Pablo Carreño Busta 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3; No. 2 Dominic Thiem vs. No. 3 Daniil Medvedev.

Women’s Doubles Final: Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva beat No. 3 Nicole Melichar and Xu Yifan 6-4, 6-4.

STAT OF THE DAY

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

QUOTE OF THE 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 the first two sets.

Image credits: AP