NEW YORK — In March, even after beating Serena Williams in straight sets in the opening round of the Miami Open, Naomi Osaka still seemed awed by her childhood idol.
“She’s the main reason I started playing tennis,” she said after her 6-3, 6-2 win. “I just wanted her after the match to know who I am.”
If Williams didn’t know Osaka then, she certainly does now. They haven’t played since their match in Key Biscayne—the only career meeting between the two thus far—but they’ll face off again Saturday on the biggest of stages: the U.S. Open final.