The two-time Grand Slam champion defeated American Jennifer Brady 7-6(1) 3-6 6-3, securing her place in her third Major final. Brady's fairytale run ended on Thursday night, after the World No.41 triumphed in Lexington a few weeks earlier. The 25-year old has been one of the standouts of the summer, and will see a significant rise in the WTA rankings when they are released next week.

In a hard-hitting encounter on Arthur Ashe stadium, both ladies refused to give an inch in the first set. With no breaks of serve, a tiebreak ensued that saw Osaka dominate as her opponent hit several errant shots. However, Brady was able to recover and grabbed the sole break in the second set, following some passive play from the Japanese superstar.

The deciding set saw Osaka obtain the crucial break at 2-1, and the fourth seed held on to serve out the match. Each lady hit 35 winners, but it was the slight difference in consistency that gave Osaka the edge. The 2018 champion committed 17 unforced errors to Brady's 25, in addition to one less double fault.

Osaka will now face the winner between the second semifinal, a blockbuster featuring Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka. The Japanese star leads both women 2-1 in career meetings, although she did concede the Cincinnati final to Azarenka after she withdrew via injury.

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