Naomi Osaka and Taylor Fritz Advance to Semi-Finals at Canadian Open
Osaka Shines in Canadian Open Quarter-Finals
Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam titleholder, has made it to the semi-finals of the Canadian Open for the first time after defeating Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina with a score of 6-2, 6-2 in the quarter-finals on Tuesday. This victory marks Osaka's first appearance in a WTA 1000 semi-final since the Miami Open in 2022, as she took just over an hour to secure her win against the 10th seed Svitolina.
Osaka took advantage of Svitolina's unforced errors, breaking her serve twice to get close to winning the first set. Although she faced a moment of vulnerability when Svitolina threatened to shift the match's momentum, Osaka regained control, broke back, and clinched the first set.
The second set proved to be more competitive, but Osaka managed to convert two additional break points, ultimately sealing her victory in Montreal.
Next, Osaka will compete against Clara Tauson, the 16th seed from Denmark, who recently achieved her second consecutive win over a top 10 player by defeating American sixth seed Madison Keys with a score of 6-1, 6-4. Tauson had previously triumphed over six-time major champion Iga Swiatek.
Expressing her excitement, Osaka stated, "I think for me, I’m just having a lot of fun playing and I’m really glad to be here. She’s (Tauson) really tough. I played her in Auckland this year and had to stop halfway due to injury. I’m thrilled to be healthy and hope it’s a great match for everyone watching." Tauson was impressive in her match against Keys, converting both break point opportunities and finishing the first set in just over half an hour.
Keys struggled early in the second set, allowing Tauson to stay on track for only her second WTA 1000 semi-final appearance.
Fritz Advances in Men's Tournament
In the men's draw in Toronto, American second seed Taylor Fritz progressed to the semi-finals after defeating Russian sixth seed Andrey Rublev with a score of 6-3, 7-6(4). Fritz, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals, started strong, winning six consecutive points and breaking Rublev's serve in his first return game.
The 27-year-old maintained his momentum with a powerful serving performance and looked set to close out the match while serving at 5-4 in the second set. However, Rublev fought back, saving a match point and converting his fourth break point to level the set, eventually forcing a tiebreak where Fritz secured his victory.
Reflecting on the match, Fritz remarked, "That whole game was so shaky for me. It’s strange because he was holding serve easily, and I was too. It felt calm, and then suddenly, I’m serving to reach the semis, and the pressure hit me out of nowhere. There’s no way to sugarcoat it; it was a tight game. My mind kind of went blank. The only thing you can do is come back and win the set. I’d be much more upset about that game if I lost the match. Winning makes it feel less bad." Fritz's next opponent will be fellow American and fourth seed Ben Shelton, who reached his first Masters 1000 semi-final by defeating Australian ninth seed Alex de Minaur with a score of 6-3, 6-4.