2018 US Open Semifinals: Who can spoil an All-American final?
NEW YORK, New York - The US Open semifinals are set to get underway under the lights on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday evening, as six-time champion Serena Williams takes on Anastasija Sevastova, and Madison Keys
Will we see an All-American final for the second consecutive US Open? Can Osaka become the first Japanese woman in the Open Era to advance to a major final to face her idol? Or will the swashbuckling Sevastova pull off another US Open upset?
WTA Insider previews the action:
First Match: No.17 seed Serena Williams vs. No.19 seed Anastasija Sevastova (first meeting)
There was a time, not too long ago, that a dominant Serena Williams was two wins away from history at the US Open. In 2015, Serena came into the US Open having won the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon. As she waited to walk on court for the US Open semifinals, she knew only two women stood in her way of becoming th first player since Stefanie Graf to complete the Calendar Grand Slam.
One of those women was Roberta Vinci. Surely Serena's power would overwhelm the Italian's slice-and-dice game. Vinci had no weapons to hurt Serena, and aside from the baseline power, Serena's serve would never give Vinci a real look to break. Calendar Slam, here we come.
And then, well, we all know what happened next.
The Calendar Slam may not be on the tale this year, but Serena came to New York in search of Slam No.24. A win here would tie her with Margaret Court for most major singles titles ever won, and set her up for a record-breaking run at the Australian Open in January. She has looked dominant through five matches, dropping serve just five times all tournament and losing one set.
In all ways, Sevastova looks set to be overpowered. The Latvian always plays her best in New York, and became the first woman from her country to make the semifinals of the US Open, knocking out defending champion Sloane Stephens in the quarterfinals.
Sevastova has a game that is reminiscent of Vinci's, but with a little bit more pop on the serve and backhand. She has one of the best dropshots in the game, and when she's feeling she can break her opponent's spirit with that shot alone. But against Stephens, Sevastova did a phenomenal job of mixing up her pace and placement and never giving Stephens the same ball twice. By the late stages of the first set, Stephns was in full reaction mode and her frustration mounted quickly.
This is what Anasatasija Sevastova can do.
"I've seen her play a lot," Serena said. "She's been playing really well for actually a long time. So obviously I know her game really well. She clearly knows mine. So she's definitely someone that gets a lot of balls back and something I have to be ready for."
Second Match: No.14 seed Madison Keys
History is on the line for 20-year-old Naomi Osaka
The first meeting between these two young big-hitters came two years ago on Arthur Ashe Stadium. In the third round, then 21-year-old Madison Keys
It's a match that still haunts Osaka, whether she likes it or not. Even before she won her quarterfinal over an ill Lesia Tsurenko
"I feel like I learned a lot the match I played here two years ago, which people keep bringing up," Osaka said. "I'm grateful that I had that experience."
"I think we both had some very highs and lows during that match where one was playing well, one wasn't," Keys said. "One was down, one was emotionally high.
"That I think was probably the first time I had been on Ashe and had to learn how to use the crowd. So it was definitely something that I have learned from, and I know now to, as a home favorite, to let myself let the crowd in and let them help me in all of that. In that aspect, it was a learning experience."
After the loss, Osaka dismissed the idea that experience had anything to do with the outcome of the match. "Experience is good, but not having experience, if you're good enough, it shouldn't really matter," she said after that 2016 loss.
Flash forward two years, and Keys and Osaka are both Top 20 players separated by a handful of ranking spots. Keys has turned into one of the more reliable players at the Slams. The American has made the semifinals or better at 3 of the last 5 majors, the best strike rate among active players during that span. Meanwhile, Osaka marched through a tough draw to win her first title in Indian Wells this spring, the biggest title either woman has won so far.
Both Keys and Osaka have moved through the bottom half of the draw efficiently while surviving one tough test. For Keys it was a three-set win over Aleksandra Krunic
What is fascinating about the Keys-Osaka match-up is just how similar they both play. Both have huge serves and big forehands. Neither is yet comfortable charging the net. Osaka may have the edge in speed, while Keys has the edge in power off the ground. Whether they choose to play first-strike tennis or employ a more patient gameplan remains to be seen.
Osaka's coach Sasha Bajin remained cagey when asked about their upcoming match.
"Both have big serves. Both have big forehands. Madison has been here on the big stage a lot of times before. Maybe that's the only difference to Naomi."
Will experience carry Keys through to her second consecutive US Open final? Or will Osaka's quality outweigh her lack of experience in her first major semifinal?
