When Naomi Osaka took the court for her US Open quarterfinal match against Lesia Tsurenko, it was 1:00 am in Japan. Most people would be heading to sleep for the night, if they had not yet already.
But for the eager tennis fans, they would stay up all night and morning to watch history unfold. Naomi Osaka, followed by Kei Nishikori, would put on quite the display of tennis for Japanese citizens worldwide. It was a tale of two contrasting matches–Osaka finishing in less than an hour, Nishikori requiring over four hours.
With the entire Japanese nation on their shoulders, Osaka and Nishikori would win their respective matches, to be the first pair from Japan to advance to a Grand Slam semifinal. At a time where tennis is rapidly continuing to grow in Asia, perhaps it was fitting that there are US Open semifinalists who are represented in that region.
Osaka Hardly Breaks Sweat in Quarterfinal Rout
Naomi Osaka is no stranger to playing in high profile matches. Last year at the US Open, she defeated defending champ Angelique Kerber in straight sets. This year in the first round of the Miami Open, she defeated her idol Serena Williams.
“I’m grateful that I got the opportunity to play Serena in Miami,” said Osaka. “She’s really good for the sport. I hope I can play her here, which means we would have to meet in the finals.”
Confidence, grit, and tenacity are values that Osaka possesses at her young age of 20, both on and off the court. Her bubbly personality has captivated the press conference room at the US Open. When she takes the court, she emerges as a fierce competitor.
Just ask Aliaksandra Sasnovich, who lost to Osaka at the US Open in two bagels, 6-0 6-0. Or her Belorussian counterpart, Aryna Sabalenka, who had to deal with Osaka’s perseverance and clutch shotmaking under pressure, falling to Osaka in the Round of 16, 6-3 2-6 6-4.
Osaka saved her best performance in her quarterfinal match against Tsurenko. In her first Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance, one would think the young Japanese star would be slightly phased by the magnitude of the moment. Osaka’s lights-out serve was too much for her Ukrainian opponent to handle, as she beat her 6-1 6-1 in a match that would take 58 minutes to complete, becoming the first Japanese woman to make a Grand Slam semifinal since 1996.
“Well, it definitely means a lot for me, and I always thought if I were to win a Grand Slam, the first one I’d want to win is the US Open, because I have grown up here and, like, then my grandparents can come and watch,” Osaka said. “I think it would be really cool.”
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Nishikori Finds US Open Success Again
Four years ago, a rising star Kei Nishikori would play in his first US Open final against Marin Cilic. Nishikori was coming into the match on a high after defeating the best player in the world Novak Djokovic. But he would get a tennis lesson from his Croatian opponent, who won in straight sets 6-3 6-3 6-3 to etch himself into Grand Slam history forever.
Four years later, Nishikori and Cilic would renew their rivalry in the US Open quarterfinals. Since that final appearance, Nishikori has enthralled the countries in the Asia Pacific, but would never have similar success in Grand Slams. Injuries and questions of fitness have plagued Nishikori these last few years, impeding his ability to have success.
But the US Open is a venue where Nishikori has always raised his game. His last Grand Slam semifinal came in 2016… at the US Open. Despite losing in the US Open Final to Cilic, Nishikori had an 8-6 record against the Croatian coming into this match today.
With hot and humid weather conditions, today’s quarterfinal contest was a topsy-turvy affair. There were 10 breaks of serve between the two players. Cilic and Nishikori had a combined 84 winners to a whopping 106 unforced errors.
But in the big moments, it was Nishikori’s relentless defense that wore down Cilic. None more apparent in the last game, where he powered a backhand winner up the line to break Cilic and win the match in five sets 2-6 6-4 7-6(5) 4-6 6-4. With the crowd on their feet, Nishikori’s fist pump meant so much more than just another victory. It was validation in an up and down career, that he could get back to a Grand Slam semifinal.
“Being injured last year, very happy with how I played today,” stated Nishikori.
Nishikori was quick to point out what his country counterpart Osaka did earlier and the importance of having a country’s support throughout the fortnight of a major. Who knows what will happen to both these players in their semifinal contests. But they have been raised to a pedestal in Japan sports, one built on hard work, dedication and success.
“It’s good to have, you know, home support outside of Japan,” he said. ”Yeah, it’s great news we’re both in the semis.”
“I think she can, you know, win a title now, even (a) Grand Slam. So I feel, you know, big chance for her.”
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