MELBOURNE, Australia – For Naomi Osaka, the Australian Open tournament spoiled the surprise: it could be the next Serena Williams.
Osaka beat Su-Wei Hsieh 6-2, 6-2 on Tuesday to reach the semifinals and will face the winner of the quarter-final match between Williams and Simona Halep, ranked No. 2.
“I usually never look at my tie,” Osaka said. “But everyone has told me about my draw here, so I had no choice but to know who my next opponent is. It will definitely be a lot of fun.”
Third, Osaka reached 122 mph in his service against Hsieh. He hit seven aces, lost just two points in his first serve and never broke on the road to his 19th straight win.
Osaka also played an excellent defense, as in the final game, when he ran forward to chase a fall throw, throwing a cross back to a winner.
“I couldn’t afford to be lazy with my feet,” Osaka said with a smile. “I didn’t want to play three sets.”
At 35, Hsieh was the oldest woman to debut in the quarterfinals of the Grand Slam in the professional era. But Osaka was not surprised by Hsieh’s flat, deceptive two-handed shots, which beat the first-hand winners on both corners.
Hsieh said Osaka is a threat to win the championship.
“You can always go all the way,” Hsieh said. “She just has to play her game and stay calm. She’s a great player.”
Osaka’s winning streak includes a U.S. Open title in September for its third Grand Slam championship. The streak also includes a fourth-round win last week, when he saved two points in the game and swept the last four games to beat Garbine Muguruza.
“It makes me a little calmer, knowing I had my back strong against the wall,” Osaka said.
Osaka are 4-0 in the quarterfinals of the Grand Slam, including a road victory to the Australian Open title in 2019. Against Williams, their record is 2-1, but they have not played each other since the 2019.
“It’s Serena,” Osaka said. “I feel very intimidated when I see her on the other side of the court.”
In women’s doubles, the extended day of the young American team of Coco Gauff and Caty McNally ended in the quarterfinals with a 7-6 (4) and 6-1 defeat against the fourth team of Demi Schuurs of the Countries Low and the United States. Nicole Melichar.
Gauff and McNally had a 4-1 lead in the opening set before a series of unforced errors allowed Schuurs and Melichar to return on the return leg. The winners gained a 3-1 lead in the second set after a service break and closed out the game quickly.
The American pair had won two head-to-head teams in previous matches.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.