https://sports.yahoo.com/naomi-osaka-vs-karolina-pliskova-050623501.html
US Open champion Naomi Osaka staved off a fightback from Karolina Pliskova to reach her maiden Australian Open final with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win and set up a title clash with double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
Osaka hit winners almost at will from both her forehand and backhand and broke Pliskova's service games twice and didn't face a single break point as she cantered through the first set.
Pliskova, who had saved four match points against Serena Williams in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, failed to live up to her reputation as a big server but showed plenty of fighting spirit to level the match with a second break at 5-4 after the players had an early trade of breaks.
Osaka saved three break points in her opening service game of the deciding set and then broke in the next for a 2-1 lead and crucially kept her composure from there on.
She sealed it with her 15th ace after an hour and 53 minutes of action.
US Open champion Naomi Osaka staved off a fightback from Karolina Pliskova to reach her maiden Australian Open final with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win and set up a title clash with double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
Osaka hit winners almost at will from both her forehand and backhand and broke Pliskova's service games twice and didn't face a single break point as she cantered through the first set.
Pliskova, who had saved four match points against Serena Williams in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, failed to live up to her reputation as a big server but showed plenty of fighting spirit to level the match with a second break at 5-4 after the players had an early trade of breaks.
Osaka saved three break points in her opening service game of the deciding set and then broke in the next for a 2-1 lead and crucially kept her composure from there on.
She sealed it with her 15th ace after an hour and 53 minutes of action.
