Naomi Osaka has won her first Grand Slam title. The Japanese player beat Serena Williams in two sets in the final of the US Open 2018.
What a performance in the generation duel: Naomi Osaka, 20 years old, defeated 36-year-old Serena Williams 6-2 and 6-4 in the final of the 2018 US Open and thus secured the first major title of her career. The American continues to wait for Grand Slam success number 24, with which she could catch up with record holder Margaret Court Smith.
The finale started with a closed roof and problems for the hammers: Both Serena and Osaka had to make up for a 30-0 deficit in their first service games, but in the third game the 20-year-old hit and took their first break. And the next one for the 4:1th short relaxation on the stands was when Williams could reduce to 2:5 with his own serve.
But after 34 minutes Osaka finished a concentrated, incredibly offensive first set with 6:2. With an impact into Serena’s body that she couldn’t return.
At the beginning of the second round, Serena received a warning from Carlos Ramos about alleged coaching. Which didn’t go down well with the greatest tennis player of our time. “I’d rather lose than cheat,” she told Ramos. And fended off a break point in the third game. Important to prevent a similar course as in the first pass.
Osaka initially did the same as their opponent – and won a 19-stroke rally at 30:40 in the fourth game. An ace held out a few moments later to defend against the next breakpoint. But every series ends in tennis at some point. Osaka’s deflected chances of their opponents on their own serve after 19. One backhand of the Japanese was knocked out, Serena took the lead 3-1.
The immediate re-break of Osaka that Serena had to take was acknowledged by Williams with a material test that her club did not survive. The result was the second warning by the chair referee, coupled with a points deduction. Williams wasn’t happy, neither was the audience, Osaka remained cool.
At the next change of sides, the situation escalated: Serena could no longer calm down, insulted the Umpire – and received her third warning. That meant a deduction. The discussions with the chief referee were naturally fruitless, Serena was close to tears. And the audience can hardly be reassured.
The only person who remained calm was Naomi Osaka. Williams came back and won her 4-5 serve, but Osaka even returned to the court before time, turning her second match point into a Japanese woman’s first Grand Slam triumph after 80 minutes.
Serena Williams congratulated her conqueror fairly – she had no handshake for Carlos Ramos. Osaka did not challenge this. She gave her coach Sascha Bajin and her mother a close hug.