Osaka Defeats Tauson to Continue Resurgence Tour to National Bank Open Final
Clara Tauson from Denmark faced off against Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the second semifinal match of the National Bank Open Tournament in Montreal. With two hard-hitting players, it was clear it was always going to be a tightly-contested match from the very first ball. Osaka opened up the match powerfully, her good mood from yesterday’s win clear, and her wish to set a dominant tone evident. Tauson maintained clear margins as she stayed in control of the points to put away winners, keeping her well in the game and giving Osaka problems to solve continuously. Holding her own against her opponent’s mighty rallies. Still, it is a contested game, going all the way to deuce on Tauson’s serve. Another backhand unforced error from Osaka sets up her opponent for a chance to hold, and she completes it with ease, by the way of an ace.
At just 1-1, the game is an explosive one; the two women exchange shots like blows, measuring their power against each other indiscriminately with bells and whistles or even too many angles. At such a crucial point in the game where nobody has broken the other, consistency is the key to the game, and it shows with the players’ placement of their shots through the court rather than risking angles and errors. Osaka is well and able to answer Tauson’s unforgiving down-the-line backhand winners with backhand winners of her own, which secures a tight but important hold at 2-1. Though tensions are high, both women keep a tight leash on their emotions, despite them both being known for their expressive manners on the court.
Solid rallies from both women utilized every inch of the court now, but once more, Osaka was unable to close, and yet another unforced backhand error sent Tauson to 40-0. Osaka redeems herself of the error with a blinding cross-court winner, but the game is still lost to Tauson, now with a forehand shank. The blundering error brings the score to 2-2. Tauson seems to have gained a new understanding of Osaka now, taking every opportunity where she sees it. Two back-to-back winners off her backhand got her two break points on Osaka. Osaka responds with a one-two punch forehand combo and then a lucky net tip-over. After ensuring her hold, she further steadies herself and goes on to keep her lead clear at 3-2.
Opening with a rare shakiness, Tauson double-faults to start. A short rally brings Osaka into the court to put it away for an inside-out winner on the backhand, bringing it to 30-0. Tauson attempts to fight back, capitalizing on her net game somewhat, but Osaka can acquire the break, going to 4-2. Osaka is fully in control now and not allowing Tauson her rhythm in any capacity—nor any room to breathe. Stellar court coverage, repeated unforgiving inside-out backhands, and blistering cross-court forehand winners all go without any answer from Tauson. They also made a relatively easy hold for Osaka to go up 5-2. Tauson’s frustrations are beginning to emerge now as she tries to remain in the set but faces only hardships. A forced error, a double fault, and a brutally dominated rally she can hardly stay in all contribute to the former World Number One’s eventual break over her and a 6-2 win in the first set, in a mere 33 minutes.
Coming fresh from a lengthy off-court medical timeout, Tauson did her best to keep her level and energies high, returning serve to open the second set. Osaka kept warm with serves while waiting for her opponent to return from the injury timeout, which likely contributed to her wasting no time in holding at zero on her first service game of the new set. Tauson followed suit, using big serves and solid shots deep into the baseline to keep Osaka in check, holding her serve, and keeping the score even at 1-1. Osaka sailed by with another easy hold once more, bringing her up 2-1. She came vengefully from the changeover, breaking Tauson quickly. Tauson's frustrations were both visible and audible now; her screams and small tantrums helped her none against stalling the break to bring the score to 3-1 to Osaka.
Tauson fought to break Osaka’s serve, laying her arsenal all on the table with dropshots, second serve return attacks, and punishing inside-out forehands to secure her first break of the match, 3-2. Osaka was the image of focus, even with Tauson’s screams, racquet abuses, and facing a double break point at 40-15. She rallied back to 40-40 with mind-blowing net points and lengthy rallies to avoid the break. Even with her now shaky serves and now battling her own frustrations and racquet abuses, Osaka was unable to counter Tauson’s grit. Tauson broke, and the score was brought to 4-3, with Osaka still in the lead.
Tauson returned steadily, not doing much at all as Osaka self-destructed, giving Tauson her hold at zero. Osaka’s anger was now undeniable, the score now 4-4, but she fought through to run ahead again to rectify her previous unnecessary blunders, acquiring a convincing hold, and then set herself up to break Tauson and saw it through, bringing the score to 5-4. The Dane’s dejection was clear for all to see in the stadium, yet it stopped her from fighting to the last, taking it to deuce. Osaka and Tauson played a lengthy game, each preventing the other from winning the game, but Tauson rose victorious with the break, evening it to 5-5. Battling both her vexations and her opponent’s working tactics against her, Osaka kept her focus enough to hold at 40-30, taking her to 6-5, another chance to close out the match. Tauson raced ahead in the next game to 40-0 to try and hold, resisting Osaka’s one-point attempt to stage a comeback, and she held emphatically, taking the second set to a tiebreak.
Tauson kept her steam from before going, acquiring a 3-0 lead in the tiebreak, seemingly turning the tide of the game, and forcing errors out of Osaka with huge, angled shots. Her groove continued, her well-placed serves aiding her to a comfortable 6-4 to serve for the set. A double fault, her third for the match, would foil that first chance, however, providing an extra lifeline for Osaka and the courage she needed to push on ahead after evening the score 6-6. Osaka found herself once more, opening up with huge shots and winners, racing ahead to 8-7 with an unanswerable forehand down-the-line winner. She did not hesitate to take her chance at the win when offered, and she defeated the dejected but determined Dane 6-2, 7-6, 7. Osaka will now face Canadian Victoria Mboko tomorrow in the finals in Montreal. Mboko is on a dream run herself, defeating two former Grand Slam Winners; this year’s Roland Garros champion, Coco Gauff, and today's 2022 Wimbledon Champion, Elena Rybakina.
