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| Naomi Osaka has reached the Miami Open final for the first time. (Photo by= Getty Images) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] Naomi Osaka fought back to beat Belinda Bencic and set up a Miami Open final against incoming world number one Iga Swiatek of Poland. Japan's Osaka beat the Swiss 4-6 6-3 6-4 to reach her first final since she won the 2021 Australian Open, BBC Sports reported.
She is now ranked 77th in the world as she continues her return from a break from the sport. Second seed Swiatek, who won the Indian Wells title last week, beat American Jessica Pegula 6-2 7-5. Swiatek is the first player to reach the finals of both American hard-court events since Victoria Azarenka, won both tournaments in 2016. She is on a 16-match winning streak and has won 18 consecutive sets. Swiatek has not faced Osaka since 2019, with the Japanese winning in straight sets, but has since gone on to lift her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2020 French Open.
"My second match on the WTA Tour, when I felt I am doing a breakthrough, was against Osaka," she said. Osaka looked emotional after sealing victory over Bencic, who had won their past three encounters. The four-time Grand Slam champion had her Australian Open title defense ended in the third round in January and is playing just her fourth event of the year. The final takes place on Saturday at 16:00 BST.
