August 06, (THEWILL) — Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka defeated 10th seed Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-2 in just 68 minutes to reach the WTA Canadian Open semi-finals in Montreal on Tuesday. The Japanese star, chasing her first title since the 2021 Australian Open following maternity leave, displayed commanding form throughout the match.
Osaka broke early in the first set and maintained control, breaking Svitolina again when the Ukrainian hit a forehand wide to conclude the contest. The 27-year-old will face Danish 16th seed Clara Tauson in the last four after Tauson stunned reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys 6-1, 6-4. Tauson dedicated her victory to her grandfather, who passed away on Sunday, the day after the 22-year-old defeated Polish second seed Iga Swiatek.
Osaka expressed satisfaction with her performance and revealed that reaching the semi-finals ensures she will be seeded at the upcoming US Open. “I am just having a lot of fun playing. I am glad to be here,” Osaka said. “I think I will be seeded in the US Open because I won my match. That was a really good goal for me. I am just really excited.” The former world number one noted that she looks forward to facing Tauson healthy, having retired injured during their only previous meeting at Auckland this year.
The Montreal tournament has seen a remarkable number of upsets, with the top five seeds and seven of the top ten seeds eliminated before the quarter-finals. Tauson’s victory marks the first time she has defeated two top-10 opponents at a single event, having previously ousted Swiatek. The young Danish player, who won titles in Lyon and Luxembourg in 2021 and Auckland this year, seeks her fourth career WTA title and second WTA 1000 final appearance.
In the other semi-final, 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina will face 18-year-old Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko. Rybakina won their only previous encounter 6-3, 7-5 last month in Washington. The Canadian Open serves as a crucial hardcourt preparation event for players ahead of the US Open, which begins later this month in New York.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
