Osaka ends Serena’s bid for 24th Grand Slam Title

TIL Desk Sports/ Naomi Osaka ended Serena Williams’s bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title in a storm of power hitting on Thursday, humbling the American great 6-3 6-4 to reach her second Australian Open final.

In a rematch of their tumultuous 2018 US Open decider, Osaka underlined her status as the new queen of women’s tennis and soaked up the cheers from the Rod Laver Arena crowd as fans returned to the Grand Slam after a five-day lockdown. Williams, however, was left in tears.

The 39-year-old cut short her post-match news conference after breaking down when asked whether she had just had a bad day at the office. Osaka, the 2019 champion, will meet the winner of Jennifer Brady and Karolina Muchova for the title as the 23-year-old bids to claim her fourth Grand Slam crown.