(Naomi Osaka & Serena Williams)
Speed Post News Network
Patna : Third seed & 2019 Australian Open Champion Naomi Osaka, 23, Japan, and 10th seed & winner of 23 Grand Slam singles titles Serena Williams, 39, USA, reached the semi-finals of Australian Open (AO) 2021 winning their respective quarter-finals matches at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park, Australia, in straight sets on February 16, 2021. Serena and Osaka will clash in semi-finals on February 18, 2021.
Serena thumped 2nd seed Simona Halep, 29, Romania, 6-3, 6-3 in quarter-finals at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park, Australia, firing 4 Aces. The American won 6 break points in the match to 3 by Simona. She also won 5 games in a row in the match to 2 by the Romanian. Serena, in all, 65 points in the match to 53 by Simina. Simona had won the 2019 Wimbledon title defeating Serena Williams 6-2, 6-2 in final .
Osaka, who had won US Open titles in 2018 & 2020, drubbded World No 71 Hsieh Su-Wei, 35, Taiwan, 6-2, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park, Australia, winning 4 break points and 5 games in a row in the match. Osaka also fired 7 Aces in the match to none by Hsieh. Osaka won 65 points in the match to 44 by Hsieh.