Victoria Azarenka reached her first Grand Slam final in seven years after defeating Serena Williams for the first time at a grand slam.

Since her last final which was the 2013 US Open, Azarenka has become a mother and faced a custody battle. Both of which kept her out of tennis for an extended period.

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Azarenka had looked impressive during her run to the final and looked in control after taking the first set 6-1.

Osaka the 2018 champion was not going to give in. She slowly worked her way back into the match and fought off a game point in the third game on Azareka’s serve. That was the key moment when momentum shifted.

Instead of Azarenka holding a 6-1, 3-0 lead the match tightened and Osako had broken back. She held to consolidate the break.

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The Belarusian held for 3-2 before Osaka ran off the next four games to take the set, including an epic game to win the set.

Osaka broke in the fourth game of the deciding set to lead 3-1 and then fought off three break back points before holding for a 4-1 lead.

Azarenka again faced a long drawn out game before this time holding. In the next game Osaka was broken and Azarenka looked to be coming back into the set after breaking for 3-4 on serve.

Osaka would break again before serving out the match to complete a 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory in 1 hour 53 minutes.

Azarenka played almost perfect tennis in the first set, serving at 94% and winning 75% of first serve points. The winner were 7-5 to Azarenka while unforced errors were 13-3 to Osaka.

In the third set Azarenka served at 62% and won 62% of first serve points.

It was not to be for Azarenka but it had been a great return to form.

Osaka claimed her third Grand Slam singles title and her second US Open title.

Three time Grand Slam runner-up Dominic Thiem has defeated Australia’s Alex de Minaur to advance to back-to-back Grand Slam semifinals.

The final score was 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.

The scoreline looks one sided however Thiem was pushed hard by de Minaur.

Thiem opened the serving and held serve before breaking his opponent in the next game. de Minaur immediately hit back with a break however that would be the only game he won in the first set.

In the second set de Minaur was 2-1 on serve before stumbling again to lose the set 6-2.

The third set was a lot closer and de Minaur was looking likely to take that set before Thiem again lifted to close out the match.

Australia’s Alex de Minaur has surged past big serving Canadian Vasek Pospisil, the world no. 94. The final score was 7-6(6) 6-3 6-2.

de Minaur ranked at no. 28 faced four set points in the opening set tiebreak coming from 2-6 behind.

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In the second set de Minaur broke for the first time in the match to move ahead 3-1, he held then broke again for 5-1. Pospisil managed to get one break back before the Australian closed out the set.

de Minaur broke to love in the third game of the third set to take control and he broke again for 5-2 after a long game with four deuces.

The Australian then served out the match.

“I’m obviously very happy,” De Minaur said. “This is where I want to be, and this is where I truly believe I belong – second weeks of Slams and going deep. I’m happy I’m finally at this stage.”

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“He’s very quick and what’s most impressive is he never breathes. He runs side to side and he’s never out of breath. He defies the laws of biology,” Pospisil said before the match. “It’s pretty impressive. He’s definitely a freak of nature and he’s extremely fit, never gets tired, runs side to side incredibly fast.”

Next for de Minaur is a quarterfinal match against the second seed Dominic Thiem. The Austrian leads the head-to-head 2-0. The pair met in the first round of the 2017 US Open with Thiem comfortably claiming a three set victory.

Australia’s Jordan Thompson the world no. 63 faced world no. 90 Mikhail Kukushkin from Kazakstan for a spot in the US Open fourth round. Kukushkin was 1-0 in the head-to-head.

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The 26-year-old Sydneysider was looking to reach a fourth round at a Grand Slam for the first time. Thompson had previously reached the third round at Roland Garros in 2019.

In the opening set it was Kukushkin that got the first break to lead 3-2 however Thompson broke back immediately.

After games went with serve until Thompson was ahead 6-5, it was the Australian that took advantage of a break point to take the first set 7-5.

A wild Kukushkin forehand at 4-5, 15-15 gave Thompson a sniff at the second set.

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A forehand into the net brought up two set points. Just one was required. Thompson played a patient point with my slice backhands and eventually it was Kukushkin that pushed a backhand wide.

At this stage of the match Thompson had hit 20 winner to 19. The unforced error count had Kukushkin at 30-19. Thompson had converted 4 from 7 break point opportunites, his opponent was 2 from 5.

After the second set Kukushkin grabbed his bag and left the court for treatment or to change. On his return Thompson held serve and then broke to move to a 2-0 lead.

Despite a double fault Thompson consolidated the break to move to within three games of the fourth round.

Kukushkin was looking down and out at this stage hitting three consecutive unforced errors and a forced error to fall behind 0-4.

In the second round the player from Kazakstan upset No.13 seed Cristian Garin in a five-set battle that lasted almost four hours.

Another service hold and Thompson was at 5-0. He hit three aces in that game, along with another unforced error from Kukushkin.

A forehand that clipped the net and sailed wide gave Thompson his first match point. Kukushkin held on with some good ball striking that had Thompson scrambling to stay in the point.

Back-to-back forehands into the net saw Kukushkin avoid a 6-0 scoreline.

Another ace on match point saw Thompson into the fourth round after a 7-5, 6-4, 6-1 victory. He ended with 26 winners.

Next up is the winner of the Stefanos Tsitsipas v Borna Coric match.

Three Australian men had second round matches at the US Open today. Alex de Minaur face France’s Richard Gasquet, John Millman USA’s Frances Tiafoe and Christopher O’Connell took on 2019 runner-up Daniil Medvedev of Russia.

de Minaur was first to play on court 11. He defeated Gasquet 6-4, 6-3, 6-7(6), 7-5 in just over three hours. The Australian world no. 28 should have been in the locker room a lot earlier but failed to convert match points in the third set.

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Millman followed de Minaur on court 11 and found himself two breaks behind at 2-5. He would fight back to 5-5 and then was in a tiebreaker for the first set.

In the tiebreaker Millman was in command at 5-2 but Tiafoe fought back to take the breaker 8-6.

Millman broke in the second game of the third set as Tiafoe started piling up the unforced errors. Millman held to love to consolidate the break and move to 3-0.

At this stage of the match Tiafoe had hit 49 unforced errors to Millman’s 29 and the winners count was 27-20 in favour of the Australian.

Millman continued to dominate and easily won the third set 6-1. At this stage you could have expected Millman to roll on and win the match. Tiafoe had other ideas.

Tiafoe broke to lead 4-1 before Millman held serve and then broke after Tiafoe sent a forehand into the net. It was now 3-4 with Millman serving.

Tiafoe was able to force errors from Millman and the American broke again for 5-3. He then served out the set to take the match into a fifth set.

Millman played a seven minute game to hold serve in the opening game after fighting off several break points.

Games went with serve until the seventh game when Tiafoe broke then held and broke again to close out a match that lasted 3 hours 56 minutes. The final score was 7-6(6) 3-6 1-6 6-3 6-3.

Tiafoe advanced to the third round at the US Open for the first time despite hitting 73 unforced errors to 44 winners. Millman hit 54 unforced errors to 50 winners.

The key stat was on break points won. Millman converted 7 from 23 with Tiafoe converting 5 from 14.

Millman will be left to rue the lost opportunities in the first set. He mounted a good comeback from 2-5 and took the set to a tiebreaker where he was 5-3.

“I didn’t play bad tennis, I thought Frances kind of caught fire there for a set and a half. He’s got that explosive game where he can do that,” Millman admitted. “Obviously I would have loved to have won … it’s always tough losing those tight ones.”

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O’Connell faced Medvedev on Louis Armstrong Stadium and was no pushover despite not being able to break the Russian’s serve throughout the match.

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Medvedev won the match 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in two hours 16 minutes and converted 4 of 17 break points. O’Connell failed to convert from the two he earned late in the match.

Australia’s Jordan Thompson has defeated Belarus’ Egor Gerasimov 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to advance to a round three match against Mikhail Kukushkin.

This is the first time he has reached the third round at the US Open and just the second time he has advanced to a third round at a Grand Slam after reaching the French Open 3rd round last year.

Thompson the world no. 63 broke his opponent five times throughout the match and was broken twice.

Gerasimov hit way too many errors with 51 for the match compared to 29 from Thompson. The Australian hit 29 winners to 23 from his opponent.

Jordan opened the serving in the match and held before breaking Gerasimov in the second game. Thompson broke again to lead 5-0 before Gerasimov finally held serve before the Australian closed out the first set.

In the second set Thompson broke in the fifth game to lead 3-2, a hold and then a break saw Thompson ahead 5-2. Gerasimov broke Thompson when the Australian was serving for the set and he held to get back to 4-5. Thompson then held to take the set.

The Belarusian fought back in the third set and broke to lead 4-2. He maintained that advantage to take the set 6-3.

Thompson broke early in the fourth set to take control of the match and was ahead 4-1. Thompson fought off a break point at 30-40 in the seventh game before holding for 5-2.

Thompson booked his spot in the third round when he served out the match at 5-3. A backhand error from Gerasimov handed the match to Thompson on match point.

Kukushkin the world no. 90 holds a 1-0 advantage in the head-to-head after winning a round one match at the 2017 ATP Masters 1000 in Indian Wells. Thompson retired in the third set with the score at 1-6, 6-1, 3-0.

It is a winnable match for Thompson.

Four Australians were in action on day two with Alex de Minaur leading the way. He took on Slovakia’s Andrez Martin the world no. 98. Also playing were John Millman, James Duckworth and Christopher O’Connell.

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de Minaur broke once in the first set to take that 6-4, broke three times in the second while being broken once himself as he took the second set 6-3.

The Australian was serving for the match at 5-3 but was broken to have games back on serve. de Minaur would break again to close out the match 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 and setup a round two clash with world no. 51 Richard Gasquet from France, their first meeting.

John Millman raced through the first set against Georgia’s world no. 30 Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1.

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In the remaining two sets it was a bit closer but the likeable Australian did not drop serve once throughout the match.

Next up Millman will play world no. 82 Frances Tiafoe. Millman is 2-0 in the head-to-head matchup.

Against Christopher O’Connell Serbia’s world no. 81 Laslo Djere needed one break of serve opportunity to take the first set 6-4.

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O’Connell served for the second set at 5-3 and was 0-40 before smashing a winner followed by two big serves to get to deuce, only to eventually drop serve.

In the next game the Australian was 0-30 after a Djere double-fault, but a down the line winner from the Serbian took him to 15-30. Djere then faced two break points after hitting into the net. O’Connell took the set 6-4 after a lazy shot saw Djere hit long.

O’Connell was broken in the third game of the third set but would get that break back. The Australian was at 0-30 in the twelfth game before Djere held to take the set into a tiebreaker.

The Australian got an early mini-break, an ace took him to 3-1. A forehand into the net from Djere saw the Australian world no. 116 at 4-1, then a wide forehand from the Serbian gave O’Connell with a commanding 5-1 lead. A badly missed backhand gave O’Connell four set points, it took just one as he played a patient rally that ended when Djere hit a forehand wide.

O’Connell held a match point at 40-30 serving at 5-4 but a wide forehand from Djere forced an error to keep in the match. A return into the net gave O’Connell another match point and this time a good deep serve down the T forced a return error to give O’Connell a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(2), 6-4 victory, his first at a grand slam on his third attempt.

James Duckworth held set point at 30-40 and had the set gifted to him after a double-fault by Italy’s world no. 100 Salvatore Caruso.

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In the second set Duckworth held a breakpoint at 3-2 but let that slip, he then faced a breakpoint in the next game before saving that to move to 4-3.

Duckworth had a set point with Caruso serving at 4-5 but failed to convert. At 5-5 Duckworth faced several breakpoints before finally letting that game go to Caruso. The Italian then served out the set to level the match.

In the third set Duckworth dropped serve at 5-5 to again allow Caruso to serve for a set. Some big serving gave the Italian three set points needing just one as Duckworth returned a second serve into the net.

The Italian go well on top in the fourth set to close out the match 4-6, 7-5,7-5, 6-2.

Seven Australians lined up for day one action at the 2020 US Open. Arina Rodionova had been added to the draw at the last minute but lost 6-2, 6-2 to USA’s Madison Brengle.

Rodionova was the only Australian to have a one-sided scoreline with the remaining players being very competitive.

First up Jordan Thompson and Ajla Tomljanovic flew the Aussie flag.

Thompson faced Italy’s Stefano Travaglia and jumped out to an early lead. The world no. 64 went to a 2-0 set lead before Travaglia hit back. Thompson settled and closed out the match to set up a meeting with world no. 72 Egor Gerasimov from Belarus.

Marc Polmans was two games from victory at 4-4, 40-0 in the fourth set against USA’s Marcos Giron before losing in five sets. It was the first grand slam singles victory for the American.

Tomljanovic had a tough opening round assignment against 2016 US Open champion Angelique Kerber from Germany. Kerber had made a late decision to actually confirm he spot in the draw and it was her first match in 187 days since losing at the Australian Open.

Both players failed to hold serve across the opening four games. Kerber the No. 17 moved away at 4-4, though, the three-time major champion raised her level and won eight straight points—one in which she displayed remarkable speed chasing a Tomljanovic dropshot—to claim the first set.

In the second set the German was able to get on top early with two breaks. She found herself serving for the match at 5-2. It was now that Tomljanovic lifted as she managed to get one break of serve back. Kerber did however hold her nerve to close out the match for a 6-4, 6-4 win.

World No.126 Astra Sharma went the closest out of the women when she lost in a third set tiebreaker against Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska. The final score being 6-3 6-7(4) 7-6(2).

Maddison Inglis did well to take the 24th seed Magda Linette to three sets. Late in the third set she went for a volley that went just wide. If that had gone it things might have been different.

Linette was badly missing her groundstrokes late in the match but when she had to serve out the match she got the job done.

Men’s singles
Jordan Thompson (AUS) d Stefano Travaglia 6-3 6-4 4-6 6-2
Marcos Giron (USA) d Marc Polmans (AUS) 6-4 6-7(5) 3-6 6-4 6-2

Women’s singles
[17] Angelique Kerber (GER) d Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 6-4 6-4
[19] Dayana Yastremska (UKR) d Astra Sharma (AUS) 6-3 6-7(4) 7-6(2)
[24] Magda Linette (POL) d Maddison Inglis (AUS) 6-1 4-6 6-4
Danka Kovinic (MNE) d Lizette Cabrera (AUS) 6-4 3-6 6-2
Madison Brengle (USA) d (Alt) Arina Rodionova (AUS) 6-2 6-2

After the long COVID-19 shut down of tennis the US Open is hours away.

There was a bit of a setback as France’s Benoit Paire tested positive for the virus and he has withdrawn from the tournament.

Ten Australians are competing in the singles event at the 2020 US Open after world no. 1 Ash Barty, Nick Kyrgios, Sam Stosur, Alexie Popyrin and Priscilla Hon decided not to take part.

Alex de Minaur is the top ranked Australian men’s player and is seeded at no. 21. He has an opening round match against Slovakia’s Andrej Martin the world no. 98. It is their first meeting.

Martin has two qualifying matches under his belt at this same venue last week for the Cincinnati Masters. de Minaur lost in his first round match to Jan-Lennard Struff.

This US Open is so hard to tip due to the COVID-19 shutdown and a lack of matches to base decisions on although de Minaur has just won the Cincinnati doubles title with Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta. I am tipping de Minaur.

John Millman who famously upset Roger Federer a few years ago at the US Open has a tough opening round match against world no. 30 Nikoloz Basilashvili from Georgia. I am tipping Millman to cause an upset.

The remaining Australians men’s players all have a decent shot at victory. Christopher O’Connell faces the toughest opponent with world no. 81 Laslo Djere from Serbia. The Serbian lost in straight sets in qualifying against USA’s Marcos Giron. O’Connell has some competitive tennis under his belt after playing in the UTR Pro Tennis Series in Australia.

Marc Polmans faces the USA’s world no. 96 Marcos Giron. Polmans has some match play recently after competing at the UTR series in Australia. Both players are inexperienced at the Grand Slam level with Polmans tasting victory just once and Giron is yet to win a match at this level. I am tipping Polmans.

In the women’s singles we see Ajla Tomljanovic taking on the 2016 US Open champion Angelique Kerber.

Tomljanovic had a bit of an injury scare last week with a thigh injury. In an interview on Facebook she said she has recovered and is ready to face the German. Kerber has not competed since the Australian Open where she had injury issues as well.

Kerber was mostly practicing on clay before making a decision to head to New York while Tomljanovic has had some matches in the USA at Team Tennis. This could go either way as it is unknown just how Kerber will play after a long layoff.

Maddison Inglis plays Poland’s Magda Linette. Normally you would favour the Polish player but these are not normal times. Inglis is a fighter and has been playing in the UTR Pro series in Australia. I am tipping Inglis in an upset .

Astra Sharma faces Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska the world no. 25. Yastremska played some good matches last week before losing to Naomi Osaka. That experience will be too much for Sharma.

Finally we see Lizette Cabrera against Danka Kovinic from Montenegro. Kovinic is ranked at no. 92 and Cabrera is the world no. 127. The Australian has had some match play during the UTR Pro Tennis Series in Australia, this could help give her the edge.

US Open

Men’s singles
(21) Alex de Minaur v Andrej Martin SVK
John Millman v (22) Nikoloz Basilashvili GEO
Jordan Thompson v Stefano Travaglia ITA
James Duckworth v Salvatore Caruso ITA
Christopher O’Connell v Laslo Djere SRB
Marc Polmans v Marcos Giron USA

Men’s doubles
Luke Saville and Max Purcell v Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies GER
John Peers and Michael Venus NZL v N Lammons and Nick Monroe USA

Women’s singles
Ajla Tomljanovic v (17) Angelique Kerber GER
Maddison Inglis v (24) Magda Linette POL
Astra Sharma v (19) Dayana Yastremska UKR
Lizette Cabrera v Danka Kovinić MNE

Women’s doubles
Ellen Perez and Storm Sanders v Victoria Azarenka BLR and Sofia Kenin USA