WTA Auckland: Naomi Osaka through to first final since 2022

Former world No 1, Naomi Osaka, seeded seventh this week, reached her first WTA singles final since 2022 and the first since her comeback from giving birth to her daughter at the ASB Classic on Saturday.

Osaka dented the big-serving of American Alycia Parks to win 6-4, 6-2 at the ASB Tennis Arena and reach the final.

The four-time Grand Slam champion, currently ranked 57th in the world, will face Dane Clara Tauson, the No 5 seed, for the title on Sunday.

In the previous rounds of the tournament, the Japanese won against Israeli qualifier Lina Glushko (6-4, 6-4), Austrian Julia Grabher (7-5, 6-3) and American Hailey Baptiste (6-7 (2), 6-1, 6-2).

“I was just trying to survive. She was hitting such amazing shots,” Osaka said in her post-match interview on court. “I kept thinking to myself ‘Give her one more ball to play.. try to get lucky…’ I know there was one net cord ball that I really needed. So I’m really sorry to her but I really needed that. I just tried to focus on my serve and kept pushing.”

Parks, ranked No 82, beat No 3 seed Amanda Anisimova (2-6, 6-2, 6-3), Belgian Greet Minnen (7-5, 6-3) and No 8 seed Katie Volynets (6-1, 6-4) during her run to the last four.

Auckland WTA 250, other semi-final result (ASB Tennis Arena, hard, USD 275,094):

• Clara Tauson beat Robin Montgomery: 6-4, 6-3

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