Japan’s Naomi Osaka defeated Shelby Rogers 6-3, 6-4 to enter the semifinals of the US Open on Tuesday as she aims to win her second title at Flushing Meadows. Osaka wrapped up the match in under one hour and 20 minutes in the Arthur Ashe Stadium as she looks on track to the final.
The 22-year-old hit seven aces among 24 winners during her quarterfinal match and broke at love to take a 5-3 lead in the first set where Rogers hit 16 unforced errors to Osaka’s five and held serve to claim the set.
Osaka broke again early in the second set for a 2-1 lead and won the match when Rogers dumped a forehand into the net on match point for her 28th unforced error.
After the match, Osaka said that she considered this like “revenge”, having beaten Rogers for the first time in four career meetings.
“I consider this a little bit of revenge. I just feel like she had the upper hand because I’ve never beaten her and those memories are stuck in my head,” the two-time grand slam winner said.
“I feel like I’ve gone through a lot, but the Charleston match left sort of a really bad aftertaste in my mouth, so I’m really glad I was able to have a much better positive attitude today,” Osaka added.
Rogers was playing in a grand slam quarter final for just the second time and the first time since 2016. She said she was proud of herself after making her way back up the rankings since having a knee surgery in 2018.
Osaka will face American Jennifer Brady, who beat Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva in straight sets, in the semifinal.
