Naomi Osaka Battles Past Clara Tauson, Sets Up Final with Victoria Mboko

Clara Tauson(R) missed the decisive points against Naomi Osaka (L)


Naomi Osaka fought back from set points in the tiebreaker to defeat Clara Tauson 6-2, 7-6(7) and reach the Canadian Open final. Osaka will face 18-year-old Canadian wildcard Victoria Mboko, who upset Elena Rybakina in the other semifinal.


Tauson had a golden chance to take a 3-2 lead in the first set but couldn't capitalize when Osaka saved two break points...


Clara Tauson's Cinderella story at the Montreal WTA 1000 event ended with a semifinal loss to Naomi Osaka, 6-2, 7-6. Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, advanced to her first WTA 1000 final since Miami 2022 with a strong performance.


Osaka's win over Danish 16th seed Tauson, 6-2, 7-6(7), marked another impressive display for the Japanese star, who now prepares for her next challenge in the tournament final.


Naomi Osaka, 27, made history as the first Japanese player in the Open Era to reach the Canadian Open final.


Tauson had a golden chance to take a 3-2 lead in the first set but couldn't capitalize when Osaka saved two break points, ultimately falling short in her semifinal run. The Dane was still coming off the emotional high of defeating Madison Keys in the quarterfinals, just days after losing her grandfather.




Osaka saved both break points, and luck also played a role in her favor. When the score was tied at 40-40, a crucial shot hit the edge of the net and dropped onto Tauson's side, helping Osaka escape the trouble.


After regaining the lead and taking a 3-2 advantage, Osaka exuded confidence and swiftly wrapped up the first set.


The second set started similarly, with Naomi Osaka dominating a visibly struggling Tauson. However, Tauson would later mount a comeback, pushing the match to a tiebreaker.


Facing pressure while trailing 1-3, Tauson suddenly found her footing and surged back to level the score at 4-4, sparking a dramatic shift in momentum.




The Dane's resurgence continued, and as the match headed into a tiebreaker to decide the second set, Tauson's confidence grew, making the outcome far from certain.


Tauson took control of the tiebreak, racing to a 3-0 lead and securing two set points to level the match. However, Osaka refused to give up, staging a comeback to win the tiebreak 9-7.


Osaka will now face Canadian wildcard Victoria Mboko in the final, who pulled off a stunning upset by defeating Elena Rybakina 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 in the other semifinal.




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