(Reuters) – A look at the key facts and records of American Jennifer Brady and Japan’s Naomi Osaka before their U.S. Open semi-final on Thursday (prefix number denotes seeding):
28-JENNIFER BRADY
Age: 25
WTA ranking: 41
Grand Slam titles: 0
Career WTA titles: 1
2019 U.S. Open performance: First round
Best U.S. Open performance: Semi-final (2020)
ROAD TO SEMI-FINAL
First round: Anna Blinkova (Russia) 6-3 6-2
Second round: Catherine Bellis (U.S.) 6-1 6-2
Third round: Caroline Garcia (France) 6-3 6-3
Fourth round: 17-Angelique Kerber (Germany) 6-1 6-4
Quarter-finals: 23-Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan) 6-3 6-2
Brady, who has yet to drop a set at this year’s U.S. Open, has used her massive forehand and impressive court coverage to good effect during her run to the semi-finals as she chases a maiden major.
The aggressive American, whose lead-up to the U.S. Open included a maiden WTA title at Lexington, has beaten Osaka previously but lost in straight sets in their last meeting at Charleston two years ago.
4-NAOMI OSAKA
Age: 22
WTA ranking: 9
Grand Slam titles: 2 (Australian Open 2019; U.S. Open 2018)
Career WTA titles: 5
2019 U.S. Open performance: Fourth round
Best U.S. Open performance: Winner (2018)
ROAD TO SEMI-FINAL
First round: Misaki Doi (Japan) 6-2 5-7 6-2
Second round: Camila Giorgi (Italy) 6-1 6-2
Third round: Marta Kostyuk (Ukraine) 6-3 6-7(4) 6-2
Fourth round: 14-Anett Kontaveit (Estonia) 6-3 6-4
Quarter-finals: Shelby Rogers (U.S.) 6-3 6-4
The Japanese former champion has largely looked solid this year as she continues her quest for a second title at Flushing Meadows but faces a potentially tricky test against Brady.
Osaka’s left thigh has been strapped during her matches as she continues to manage a hamstring injury, but the 22-year-old has shown little signs of discomfort, moving superbly against her opponents.
HEAD TO HEAD: Tied at 1-1
2018 Osaka d Brady 6-4 6-4 (Charleston, clay)
2014 Brady d Osaka 6-4 6-4 (New Braunfels, hard)
(Compiled by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
