Toronto (Canada) (AFP)
Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka will be in the quarter-finals of the WTA tournament in Toronto on Saturday, almost a year after their US Open final won by the Japanese.
To get there, in the eighth Friday, the two players have both beaten, with difficulty, opponents from qualifying. The American, former world N.1, imposed in two sets hooked against the Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-5, 6-4, while the Japanese, N.2, needed nearly two hours to defeat Polish Iga Swiatek 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.
Osaka, 21, and Williams, 37, are reuniting after their US Open final, where the youngest won 6-2, 6-4.
A reunion awaited by Williams: "It's been a while since I was waiting to play against her.It made a very good start to the season (victory at the Australian Open) and it continues," said the American 23 Grand Slam titles.
"I'm just very impatient, I grew up watching her play, and as soon as I get the opportunity to play against her, I take this as a unique chance, and I say to myself," I need to show him my talent. "Look what I can do?", Said Osaka, who could become N.1 world after the elimination on Tuesday in the second round of the Australian Roland Garros winner Ashleigh Barty.
Williams and Osaka competed twice, both in 2018, and the Japanese won each time in front of the Americans.
Other qualifiers for the quarterbacks include Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, also in the race to claim the top spot in the world. She beat Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-3, 7-5 and will be next round to Canadian Bianca Andreescu, Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens 6-1, 6-7 (7/9), 6-4.
Romanian Simona Halep, N.4 World, also won her ticket by beating Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2, 6-1. She will face the Czech Marie Bouzkova, the result of qualifying.
The last quarter will be played between the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina (N.6) and the American Sofia Kenin.
© 2019 AFP