Djokovic ends Karatsev run to reach ninth final

MELBOURNE: Defending champion Novak Djokovic declared himself fighting fit for the Australian Open final after ending the incredible run of Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev to ease into his ninth decider at Melbourne Park on Thursday with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win under the lights at Rod Laver Arena and will battle either Stefanos Tsitsipas or Daniil Medvedev for the title.

Naomi Osaka ended Serena Williams’ bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title with an imperious 6-3, 6-4 win to book her spot in her second women’s singles final and left the American great in tears.

Djokovic’s tournament appeared on a knife edge when he suffered an abdominal injury during his third round match against Taylor Fritz less than a week ago. Yet he has put that aside and will have two days off to recover before Sunday’s final.

Djokovic has never failed to win the tournament after making the semi-finals and he will be heavily favoured to claim a record-extending ninth title at his favourite Slam on Sunday.

He broke Djokovic twice in the match and came back from 5-1 down in the second set to briefly rattle the Serb.

Naomi Osaka shocks Serena Williams in semifinal

Karatsev saved two set points as Djokovic served at 5-4, and swung freely to prise two break points from the champion.

Djokovic fired two huge serves to cancel the threats before sealing the set and took the momentum into the third as he broke Karatsev in the opening game.

Karatsev rallied again to level to 2-2 but a long tournament appeared to take its toll as Djokovic raced away and sealed the match with an ace.

In a rematch of their tumultuous 2018 US Open decider, Osaka underlined her status as the new queen of women’s tennis and soaked up the cheers from the Rod Laver Arena crowd as fans returned to the Grand Slam after a five-day lockdown by easing past Williams.

Osaka, the 2019 champion, will meet Jennifer Brady, who ensured there would be at least one American in the final after battling to a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win over Karolina Muchova in the other semi on Thursday.

It will be a rematch of last year’s US Open semi-final, where Osaka edged Brady in three sets on the way to her third Grand Slam triumph.

Williams, however, exited in tears after an error-strewn match and with a question mark over her future.

The 39-year-old cut her post-match news conference short when she broke down after being asked whether it was a bad day at the office.

“I had so many opportunities, … it was just … I made too many mistakes there and easy mistakes,” said the American. “Not like …. I was on the run or anything. They were just easy, easy mistakes. I don’t know. I’m done.”