Serena Williams overcomes Simona Halep to set up blockbuster Australian Open semifinal with Naomi Osaka
The 23-time grand slam champion put in a dominant efficiency in opposition to the Romanian, profitable 6-Three 6-3, on Tuesday at Rod Laver Area.
It is going to be the 40th grand slam semifinal of Williams profession because the 39-year-old seems to equal Margaret Courtroom’s report of 24 profession grand slam victories.
“Clearly I needed to, going up in opposition to the No.2 on the earth. I knew I needed to do higher and that is what I did. I have been watching her and I am certain she’s been watching me.
“I really feel like that is such a superb alternative for me simply to maintain doing my greatest. It is the primary Grand Slam of the yr for me. I had an extremely lengthy, arduous low season. And so, I am truthfully proud of each win I get.”
The American will now face three-time grand slam winner Naomi Osaka within the semifinal after the 23-year-old breezed previous Hsieh Su-wei in simply 66 minutes — 6-2 6-2 — of their quarterfinals.
The semifinal between Williams and Osaka would be the pair’s first assembly for the reason that remaining of the 2018 US Open when Williams clashed with umpire Carlos Ramos.
After nearly 4 years since her final grand slam victory — which got here in 2017 on the Australian Open — there appears to be a brand new spring in Williams’ step.
Having at instances struggled together with her quickness throughout the court docket, the 39-year-old seems to have regained that velocity and consequently, Halep proved no match for her.
Williams powered her approach across the Rod Laver Area court docket in Melbourne, breaking Halep early within the first set and never loosening her grip in the course of the opening salvo.
And though Halep confirmed her champion spirit within the second set — the Romanian is a two-time grand slam winner — to race into an early 3-1 lead, Williams by no means blinked.
Her glorious protection and return sport dragged her again into the set, ultimately placing collectively a run of dominant video games which wrapped up her victory in an hour and 21 minutes.
It implies that for the reason that center of 2010, Williams has solely misplaced two grand slam quarterfinals.
Now, the seven-time Australian Open winner will face Osaka in a highly-anticipated semifinal match-up, their first assembly since that notorious US Open remaining conflict in New York.