Osaka breaks the Bencic taboo and goes to the final in Miami: ‘I’m about to cry’

Naomi Osaka is back. Defeated the inner monsters and overcome the most recent emotional crisis of Indian Wells, one year after the last final played (and won) at the Australian Open in 2021, the Japanese is once again in the decisive act of an event. “I’m about to cry”, the hot comment of the former n.1 in the world, after having imposed a comeback on her black beast Belinda Bencic, 4-6 6-3 6-4. “Today I knew I had to fight on every point and somehow I managed to get to the top of the game”, continued Naomi who hadn’t beaten Switzerland since 2013. Thanks to today’s result, Osaka reaches the decisive act for the first time. of the Miami tournament – and the first final in a Wta 1000 from Cincinnati 2020 – where one between Pegula and Swiatek will be waiting for her.

The match

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Despite a first turn of service as a dancer, where she was called to face two break points, Bencic is the first player to break the balance with the 2-1 break. Meanwhile, Osaka concedes too much to the bar and collects little or nothing with the second, which is why in just 20 minutes he finds himself under 1-4. In the sixth game, the Swiss start with a double fault that gives the four-time Grand Slam champion a glimpse of the chances to sneak in and recover at least one of the two breaks suffered. Naomi gets under her and succeeds in her intent, also interrupting her streak in the serve (4-3). However, the only precious break left in her hands is enough for the # 28 WTA to walk towards the end of the first set, which she closes 6-4. We change sides and so do the scenarios with Osaka putting her nose ahead for the first time in the match for 2-0 but a few minutes away the Japanese returns to fight with herself, as well as with the opponent, and that’s all to redo. Naomi does not give up and from her 2-2 she makes her three consecutive games, taking to serve for the partial at 5-3. She goes to the third. Four consecutive games spend on the services (with two possibilities of break each) and it is in the fifth that the game played definitively with the n.77 WTA that even scores the double break. Meanwhile, Bencic staggers but does not give up and recovers one of the two missed rounds of service, sending a clear message to his opponent. Naomi, however, does not get scratched and thinks about concreteness. She just needs a quick turn to go 6-4.

The second semifinal

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On the Italian night, the home tennis player Jessica Pegula and the Polish Iga Swiatek – who will rise to first place in the world rankings from Monday 4 April – will compete for a place in the decisive act of the Miami tournament. The start of the match, the last one scheduled at the Hard Rock Stadium, is scheduled no earlier than 3 am (live SupertennisTV).