Naomi Osaka continued her resurgent form at the Canadian Open as she overcame Clara Tauson in straight sets to reach the final in Montreal.
The four-time Grand Slam champion claimed a 6-2, 7-6(7) victory over 19th-ranked Tauson in the last four of the WTA 1000 event.
Osaka broke Tauson twice to win the first set comfortably and looked on course for a resounding triumph when she was up a break at 3-1 and 4-2 in the second, but Tauson fought back.
After twice breaking back, Tauson led 5-2 in the tiebreak and had two set points from 6-4, but Osaka held firm to book her place in the title match.
By progressing to her fifth WTA 1000 final, Osaka has become the Asian player with the outright most finals at this category of event, surpassing Li Na (who reached four WTA 1000 finals). She has won two WTA titles: Indian Wells in 2018 and Beijing in 2019.
The Japanese star is seeking her eighth WTA Tour title and first since returning to tennis in January 2024 after the birth of her daughter the previous year. Her most recent title came at the 2021 Australian Open.
Having been a runner-up at the Auckland Open in January, Osaka has now reached multiple finals in a season for the first time since 2020.
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Osaka began the tournament ranked 49th, and she has surged 25 spots to world No 24 in the Live WTA Rankings with the 650 points she has gained for reaching the final.
The former world No 1 could climb as high as 21st place if she defeats 18-year-old Canadian wildcard Victoria Mboko in the final on Thursday night.
In her press conference, a reporter told Osaka that Mboko had named her as her idol in an interview four years ago.
“I don’t think that’s ever happened,” the 27-year-old said. “I’m shook (laughing). No, I mean, it’s really cute. I guess I have to have a really good attitude tomorrow. I can’t let her not like me anymore.
“I don’t know, it’s funny because I was, like, I see her on the TV, and I was low-key, like, ‘That’s my little twin’, because we both have our blue dresses and our buns and everything.
“Yeah, I mean, I’m really honoured. I always said that I would love to play someone that looked up to me in a way, so it’s happening way sooner than I thought it would.”