Azarenka ousts Serena, books Osaka US Open final clash
«Seven is my favorite number, so I guess it's meant to be,» Azarenka said, joking about the gap between major final appearances. «I'm very grateful for this opportunity, to be able to play such a champion in a semifinal. The road to the final requires you to beat the best players, and today was definitely that day,» Xinhua reports.
Two-time Grand Slam winner Azarenka seemed headed for an agonizing loss after being hammered 6-1 by Williams in the first set, but the 31-year-old turned the tide, raising up her level and reducing the unforced errors before securing the 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory.
«She dug me in a big hole in the first set. I had to climb my way out of there one by one, and I was happy to turn it around, because it wasn't easy. I think it's the daily work I've been doing to find that calm mind and match it with an excited body, because I had to keep moving and bringing the energy. There's no crowd to get energy from, so I had to give it to myself,» Azarenka said.
Azarenka will play Japanese star Osaka in the women's final. In the other semifinal, Osaka overpowered American 28th seed Jennifer Brady 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 6-3 to reach her second US Open final in three years.
The Japanese superstar fired 35 winners to 17 unforced errors to take down the American.
«Sometimes I think I have no choice but to play as hard as I can, because my opponent isn't giving me any looks,» Osaka said of the hard-fought match. «For me, normally if I focus that much, then the match potentially could be over in two. But I felt like it just kept going on.»