Victoria Azarenka knocked out Serena Williams in the US Open semifinals.

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Seth Wenig / AP / SIPA

Naomi Osaka will return to the final of the US Open on Saturday, two years after her title, where she will face Victoria Azarenka who put an end, perhaps definitively, to Serena Williams' quest for a 24th major title.

“Seven years since my last final?

Seven is my favorite number, so it couldn't be otherwise! ”

started Azarenka, all smiles, after qualifying 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.

In the final seven years later

A qualification obtained from a very very hard fight, with blows of rackets and decibels, against Serena Williams who had beaten her in the final at Flushing Meadows in 2012 and 2013. Soon to be 39 (September 26), the American knew that she had to quickly take the game in hand if she wanted to get out of it against Belarus.

"It's been 7 years? That's my favorite number so, I guess that's meant to be."



😅 @ vika7 I #USOpen pic.twitter.com/g2Jqyc0ujb

- US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 11, 2020

And indeed, she completely smothered her opponent in the first round.

But it was another Azarenka who resumed the game in the second set, holding the rally, hitting and shouting as loud as Williams, and committing only one direct foul in the whole set.

Azarenka never relaxed again or lost the ascendancy. 

“I knew the game wasn't over in the first set, and the same when I led 5-3 in the third.

I've been there before, but at the time I was young, I had a big ego, everything has shrunk since ... ", commented Azarenka. At 31, she returns to the highest level after having gave birth in 2016 and postponed her return until mid-season 2018 due to a legal battle for custody of her son.

Two top-five seeds down, one to go.

pic.twitter.com/H3S8ip1g4e

- US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 11, 2020

"I had an ego gray, everything has shrunk since then"

For her third attempt in the final at Flushing Meadows, the winner of the 2012 and 2013 Australian Open will face Naomi Osaka.

The two players should have faced each other in the Cincinnati final, just before the US Open, but Osaka withdrew just before the match due to a left thigh injury.

"I'm excited to meet Naomi, we should have faced each other two weeks ago, she's a very powerful player, you'll have to be strong but above all have fun," Azarenka commented.

On Thursday, the 22-year-old Japanese, 9th in the world, hardly dismissed the American Jennifer Brady (41st) 7-6 (7/1), 3-6, 6-3.

She won the 2018 US Open and 2019 Australian Open, but hadn't made it past the Round of 16 in Major since.

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