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Victoria Azarenka Beats Serena Williams in Comeback to Reach U.S. Open Final

Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

Victoria Azarenka and Naomi Osaka will meet in the United States Open final on Saturday in a nearly empty, cavernous stadium in Queens — and what a shame that will be for fans.

On a brilliant night of tennis, Azarenka registered an improbable comeback in a roller coaster of a match against Serena Williams that ended soon after Williams injured her left Achilles’ tendon early in the third set. Osaka edged Jennifer Brady in an earlier singles semifinal on Thursday night to set up an unlikely showdown that figures to be one of the bright spots in the disjointed, bizarre sports year that 2020 has become.