You can just go through this photo gallery by Jimmie48 and realize who won Saturday’s semifinals at the Brisbane International. Naomi Osaka’s face expressions are especially telling. Nevertheless, I’ll make a recap of today’s semis at the Premier-level tournament.
Eighth seed Madison Keys showed great composure to rally from a set and a break down and defeat 2011 champion Petra Kvitova, seeded fifth, 3-6 6-2 6-3. Keys won nine of 10 games in a remarkable mid-match recovery to reach her first Brisbane final.
Second seed Karolina Pliskova is one match away from becoming the first ever three-time Brisbane International champion after mightily fighting past Naomi Osaka 6-7(10) 7-6(3) 6-2 in two hours and 51 minutes on Saturday night. The third-seeded Osaka said that the match had the intensity of a Grand Slam final, which is definitely backed up by the players’ brutal baseline rallies and the fact that they served 31 aces altogether.
Sunday’s final will be a first career meeting between 2017 and 2019 Brisbane champ Karolina Pliskova and Madison Keys.
MORE BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL 2020 PHOTOS:
- Friday, January 10th: Keys, Kvitova, Osaka, Pliskova reach the semifinals
- Thursday, January 9th: Barty upset, Osaka & Pliskova advance to quarterfinals
- Wednesday, January 8th: Riske, Collins, Keys reach the quarterfinals on the perfect day for Americans
- Tuesday, January 7th: Brady battles past Sharapova, Stephens & Vekic knocked out
- Monday, January 6th: Stosur, Collins, Strycova upset Top 20 players
- Sunday, January 5th: WTA players bring cheerful smiles to the All-Access Hour
- Saturday, January 4th: First round of qualifying begins, top players continue warm-up
- Friday, January 3rd: New coaching partnerships take the courts
- Thursday, January 2nd: Osaka arrives by helicopter; Barty, Sharapova, Vekic grind on practice courts
