Serena Williams' quest for 24 Grand Slams, and tying Margaret Court's record, will continue after the American was handed a 6-3, 6-4 loss by the No. 3 seed Naomi Osaka in the Australian Open semifinals.
Things started out well for Williams,who jumped out to a 2-0 lead and looked poised to make another Australian Open final. But then, Osaka settled down.
"I hit a lot of unforced errors in the first few games and I was justreally like nervous and scared I think in the beginning, and I eased my way into it,"Osaka told ESPN's — and two-time Aussie Open winner himself — Jim Courier on the court after the match.
"Honestly for me, I don't know, it's just always an honor to play her and I just didn't want to go out, like,really bad, so I just wanted to try my best."
Well, Osaka definitely brought her A-game. While the majority of the stats showed an even match-up, Osaka dominated in winners with 20 to Williams' 12. Both players struggled with their first serves, and Osaka had eight double faults (Williams had one), but the 23-year-oldalso had six aces, with a number of them coming at key times.
At her post-match press conference, Williams, who was playing in her 40th Grand Slam semifinal, cited her errors — 18 forced, 24 unforced — as the turning point.
"The difference today was errors," she said. "I made so many errors today, so,honestly, it was opportunities where I could have won. I could have been up 5-Love. I just made so many errors."
When asked a few questions later what caused the errors or if it was just a bad day, Williams broke down.
"I don't know," she said before adding, appearing on the verge of tears, "I'm done." She then left the press conference.
After her semifinal loss to Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams leaves the pressroom in tears.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/g95Fva006O
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) February 18, 2021
Prior to the lastquestion, Wiliams, who turned 39 in September, was asked about why, when she walked off the court, she put her hand to her heart.
"I don't know. The Aussie crowd is so amazing, so it was nice to see," she responded. Melbourne had been in a five-daylockdown and Wednesday was the first time fans were allowed back into Melbourne Park.
However, social media immediately reacted to the gesture and contemplated whether this meant it was her last trip Down Under.
"I don't know. If I ever say farewell, I wouldn't tell anyone," she said smiling
Serena on Instagram. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/dwtYs78FhH
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) February 18, 2021
It's been a little more thanfour years since Williams won a Grand Slam; she beat sister Venus at the Australian Open in 2017. She's won one tournament since:the Auckland Classic in 2020.
"I was a little kid watching her play and just to be on thecourt playing against her for me is a dream," Osaka said to Courier.
Wednesday's marquee meeting markedthe fourth time the two stars have met on the tennis court. Williams' lone win wasat Canada'sRogers Cup in 2019. Osaka's previous wins were at the 2018 Miami Open and the 2018 U.S. Open. ThatGrand Slammeeting saw Osaka, who is 16 years Williams' junior, win her first title. Her win,however, was marred by a verbal altercation between Williams and the chair umpire during the matchthat saw her get three on-court violations and Osaka in tears at the end as boos rained down on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
"I know that everybody was cheering for her," she said. "I'm sorry it had to end like this. I just want to say thank you for watching the match."
According to Williams, the pair have put the Open behind them.
"Ithink we both have had closure, and we have reached out to each other," said Williams after her quarterfinal match at Melbourne Park. "I have definitely reached out.
"I think she's a great competitor and she's a cool cat."
MORE: Watch the Australian Open live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Osaka will now play in her fourth career Grand Slam final — and she's never lost. She has trophies from two U.S. Opens (2018, 2020) and one in Australia (2019).She'll face off against another American in the final, No. 22 JenniferBrady who defeated Karolina Muchova in three sets. The pair went the distance in the semis at the 2020 U.S. Open.
Sporting News had all the scoring updates and highlights from Naomi Osaka's straight-set win in the women's singles semifinalat the 2021 Australian Open.
(3) Naomi Osaka def. (10) Serena Williams, 6-3, 6-4
(All times are Eastern)
Second set: Osaka wins 6-4
Osaka wins 6-4
Osaka serving to close it out and begins with an ace. She then serves into the body and Williams' return goes wide. On the next serve, she goes wide, and Williams sends the mis-hit off court. Now matchpoint and after a short rally, Williams hits the backhand into the net and it'll be Osaka in the final.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) February 18, 2021That loss to Osaka breaks an incredible Serena streak of 14 straight wins at Slams on hard courts against Top 5 opponents.
(Jankovic, 2008 #AusOpen QF) https://t.co/G2Rj9mFdqv
Osaka leads 5-4
Wow. What a cut by Osaka as she finds a ridiculous cross-court angle to go up 0-30. Williams then double faults to give Osaka three break point chances. Osaka only needs one as she again nails the backhand winner — this time an approach shot — cross-court.
Set tied 4-4
A shaky game for Osaka as she double faults twice and hands Williams three break points. She saves the first one as Williams sends a shot long and then gets Williams' defensive backhand to go long to save the second. But then, Osaka double faults as the serve down the line is wide.
Osaka leads 4-3
Williams responds with her own five-point service game that started with a backhand winner down the line into the open court and ended with Osaka sending the backhand return long.
Osaka leads 4-2
Well, that was a way to turn off the Serena surge. Osaka wins in five points and finishes the game with another ace — No. 5 of the match.
Osaka leads 3-2
Trying to get back into things, Williams rips a forehand winner and lets out a yell as the crowd cheers — clearly behind her — to get the game to 15-all. She then gets Osaka to hit the ball into the net and once again looks around, as if to say: Why can't I do that on every point?Williams then gets up to 40-15 andcloses the game out as Osaka hits the forehand into the net.
Osaka leads 3-1
After double faulting to make it 40-30, and then missing on her first serve, Osaka closes out the game with a big-time forehand winner down the line.
Osaka leads 2-1
We're back on serve as Williams runs through a game in five points — including one ace and one serve that Osaka couldn't get back.
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 18, 2021Unrivaled hunger.
Can our 7-time champion @serenawilliams keep her 8-0 win-loss record in #AusOpen semifinals untarnished? #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/u9wufZDxZi
Osaka leads 2-0
Williams with a backhand return winner to get it to 30-15 (Osaka serving) and it sounds like the crowd is behind the American. Osaka responds with an ace down the T and then an ace out wide. She's definitely feeling that serve now.
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) February 18, 2021This serve from Naomi Osaka 🔥 🔥 #AusOpen
(via @espn ) pic.twitter.com/0Qraw6FtwZ
Osaka leads 1-0
Williams with a big-time forehand behind Osaka to get things to 15-all and she yells out: 'Make a shot." Williams getting more vocal but faces break point. Osaka closes out a 10-point rally with a backhand winner and takes Game No. 1.
Serena Williams to herself: “Make a shot. “ #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/2PHPDFLXgY
— Tennis GIFs 🎾🎥 (@tennis_gifs) February 18, 2021
First set: Osaka wins 6-3
Osaka wins 6-3
Serving to close out the set, Osaka dominates and controls play as she needs just five points to take the game and the set. She needed just 38 minutes to close things out; reminder — she trailed 2-0 to start.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 18, 2021Osaka is locked in!
She takes the first set 6-3 #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/3LOPErds6B
Osaka leads 5-3
Williams fires off her second ace of the set to get to 30-0 and closes things out with a serve that Osaka barely gets her racquet head on to stop the bleeding (Osaka had won five straight games).
Osaka leads 5-2
A 1-2-3-4game for Osaka that included an ace and Williams mis-hitting the return on game point. Williams had a chance to go up a double break in Game 4 but couldn't finish and will now serve to stay in the set.
Osaka leads 4-2
OK. Osaka has definitely settled in. Off a long rally, she hits the backhand winner down the line and gets two break points herself. She finishes off the game with another forehand winner.
Osaka leads 3-2
Osaka seems to be settling in as she again wails a forehand winner to get the service game to 30-all. However, she follows it up with an unforced error and gives Williams another break point opportunity. The 23-year-old gets it to deuce as she gets Williams on the defensive and finishes with a backhand approach winner. Osaka takes the set lead (deuce No. 2) after Williams' forehand goes off the tape and wide.
Set tied 2-2
Another game that goes to deuce (after Williams had a pair of break points) and Williams gets the advantage (and another break point chance)off a tremendous cross-court runningbackhander that Osaka can't get back on the court. Osaka, however, gets it back to deuce with a forehand rip that just catches the line and then gets a break point chance. Williams eventually sends a forehand long and we're back on serve.
This is ELITE defense from Serena 😯🔥 @espnw pic.twitter.com/Jk0TuxSSfo
— ESPN (@espn) February 18, 2021
Williams leads 2-1
Williams with anotherbreak point chance but Osaka gets it to deuce and then gets out of trouble winning the next two points — the game point with an ace down the T.
Williams leads 2-0
Williams starts off her first service game firing off an ace. Two points later, Williams gets Osaka to play a defensive shot and the spry 39-year-old hits the swinging volley in the open courtto go up 40-0. Williams closes things out despite only getting one first serve in.
Williams leads 1-0
Osaka serves to start and the telecast reports she struggled to find her toss during warmups. She then proceeds to double fault to make it 15-30 before hitting a shot wide to give Williams an early break opportunity. Osaka saves the first break point but then hits a backhand in the net on the next point to give Williams the break.
Pregame
10:16 p.m. — Match begins with Osaka serving.
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 18, 20212⃣6⃣ Grand Slam singles titles & counting between these two.
🪙 Coin toss goals 🤩 #AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/0NhhruR6jy
10:10 p.m. — Warm-ups underway. Osaka, by the way, has won 19 straight matches. Serena has won her last 12 matches against a player in the top 3 at Grand Slams (last loss was to No. 1 Justine Henin at the 2007 U.S. Open).
10:07 p.m. — Players walk out. Osaka takes it all in as there are some fans in the stands.
Champions, ready to take the court 👏👏 @serenawilliams @naomiosaka | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/AMIxCKJRbU
— wta (@WTA) February 18, 2021
