TOKYO: Japan’s Naomi Osaka crushed Italian Camila Giorgi 6-2, 6-3 in Tokyo on Saturday to set up a Pan Pacific Open final against Czech Karolina Pliskova.
Third seed Osaka needed just 71 minutes to complete her 10th straight win after capturing a historic US Open title earlier this month.
Former world number one Pliskova beat Croatia’s Donna Vekic 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 but took well over two hours to get the job done.
Osaka, however, made quick work of a dangerous opponent who had knocked out top seed and defending champion Caroline Wozniacki, breaking twice in a one-sided first set which she took with a blistering forehand down the line.
The 20-year-old, who has climbed to seventh in the world rankings since her stunning victory over Serena Williams in New York, piled on the pressure in the second.
A brutal Osaka forehand forced a break in the fifth game, before a vicious backhand return forced Giorgi to whiff a shot beyond the baseline on match point.
“I was pretty nervous because I really wanted to get to the final,” said 2016 runner-up Osaka, who fired down nine aces in a dominant display.
“She was playing really well and I felt like I was just trying to survive. But I served really well and that got me out of a lot of trouble today.
“If she’s on, it would’ve been almost impossible to beat her,” added Osaka. “The only thing that I could do is play as well as I can and hope for the best.”
Fourth seed Pliskova took just 12 minutes to secure a 4-0 lead before closing out the first set with one of her 11 aces.
Vekic hit back to take the second as Pliskova’s serve imploded, the world number eight blotting her copybook with seven double-faults, many of them coming on key points.
But Pliskova snaffled an early break in the decider and hung on to reach her first Tokyo final, a forehand rocket ending her opponent’s spirited resistance.
“That was tough and I was lucky to win,” admitted Pliskova, who is chasing an 11th career title.
“I’ve never been in a final in Japan and the last one is always the toughest. But at least you know you can put everything into it. You don’t get to play a final every week so I want to enjoy it.
“Naomi is playing with confidence,” added Pliskova. “I have my weapons, she also has some. But I believe I have a chance.”
Osaka will be aiming to scoop her third WTA Tour singles crown after her breakthrough at Indian Wells in March and remarkable US Open victory.
Klizan battles past Wawrinka into final: Slovakia’s Martin Klizan battled back from a set down to beat Stan Wawrinka on Saturday and reach the Saint Petersburg Open final.
Klizan, the 2012 champion here, won in 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in two hours 16 minutes to chalk up his first win over the 33-year-old Wawrinka in their fourth head-to-head meeting.
“It was a very tough match,” Klizan said. “Stan is one of the best players in the world and I’m really proud of myself after I could beat him finally.
“I’m going to do my best to win the title here. It’s always a pleasure to play in the final.”
The Swiss triple Grand Slam champion, who was a wildcard entry, broke Klizan in the first game of the match and went on to win the opening set in 36 minutes.
On his own serve, Wawrinka did not even allow Klizan to reach deuce until the sixth game of the second set. Then the Swiss seemed to suddenly lose his nerve, making a catalogue of unforced errors to allowing the Slovak to break to love. Klizan went on to take the set.
In the deciding set, Klizan broke in the third game. Wawrinka quickly broke but 29-year-old Slovak produced the deciding break in the 11th game to win the set and the match.
In Sunday’s final, Klizan will face the winner of the semi-final between top-seeded Austrian Dominic Thiem and fifth-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut.