Naomi Osaka defeated Belinda Bencic in three sets in the semifinal of the Miami Open to set up a mouthwatering final clash against Poland’s Iga Swiatek.
Osaka, now ranked 77, had to come back from a set down to beat the Swiss for the first time to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Bencic broke Osaka four times during a thriller of match that saw her take the first set after jumping to a 4-1 lead.
But Osaka then upped her game in the second, with a forehand winner that gave her a break at 4-2, where she went on to level the match.
Both players saved breakpoints on serve early in the third set but Osaka broke at 3-2 with a forehand winner and then edged ahead to 5-2.
Bencic briefly bounced back but Osaka was in no mood to give up her lead and with 18 aces in the match, the most in any WTA game this season, she won out.
“Unprofessional answer and professional answer, what I’m honestly thinking now is like how to get Korean food Uber Eats to my place, because there is nothing inside of the delivery range,” Osaka said after the game.
“But in terms of the match, I’m glad I was able to pull through.”
