Naomi Osaka cruised past Alycia Parks in straight sets at the ASB Classic to reach her first WTA final since 2022.
Naomi Osaka Reaches ASB Classic Final
The Japanese tennis star got the better of Parks 6-4 6-2 to progress to Sunday’s title decider in Auckland. Osaka will now meet Denmark’s Clara Tauson.
Four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka was playing in her first semi-final since 2022 as well. On that occasion, she beat Belinda Bencic at the Miami Open before succumbing to Iga Swiatek in the title decider.
Osaka will be confident of going one better tomorrow as she takes on the world no 50. It could be her first title since clinching the Australian Open in 2021.
Two years ago, Osaka announced she would be taking a break from tennis after revealing she was pregnant. Since making her comeback, the 27-year-old struggled to recapture her form that made her the best in the world.
Currently, Osaka is back in the top 50 of the WTA rankings and she’ll be keen to continue her upward trajectory. A fine win on Sunday will also provide a boost going into the 2025 Australian Open.
All smiles for the final 😄@naomiosaka powers her way into her first final since 2022 as she defeats Parks 6-4, 6-2!#ASBClassic25 pic.twitter.com/u2eGo7igGU
— wta (@WTA) January 4, 2025
“Of course I’m really happy to get through to the final, but I’ve actually never got to the final of a tournament the week before Melbourne, so this is a career-first for me,” Osaka told reporters.
“I think in my head I’m always happy there’s things to constantly improve or get better, no matter how old you are,” she added.
With Melbourne on the horizon, Osaka will be quietly confident of going far into the first Grand Slam event of 2025. The Japanese star has tasted victory in Australia on two occasions.
Osaka beat Petra Kvitová 7–6 (7-2) 5–7 6–4 in 2019. Two years later, she beat Jennifer Brady 6-4 6-3. Osaka will be hoping to make it a trio of wins but first, beating Tauson is the main priority.
