Kasatkina and Osaka to meet in final after stunning wins

Daria Kasatkina will face fellow 20-year-old Naomi Osaka in the final of the BNP Paribas Open after the pair knocked out illustrious opposition in the semifinals.

Russian 20th seed Kasatkina won a thrilling duel 4-6 6-4 7-5 against seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams after two hours and 48 minutes.

Japan’s Osaka, ranked 44th and so unseeded, then followed up with a stunning 6-3 6-0 defeat of world number one Simona Halep in just 64 minutes.

“We are coming – very soon,” was Kasatkina’s smiling response when asked what these results said about the latest generation of WTA hopefuls.

Looking ahead to the final, Osaka said: “I think we’re both in the final of this type of tournament for the first time, so it’s going to be fun.”

.@Naomi_Osaka_ downs World No. 1 Halep, 6-3, 6-0!

Will face Kasatkina in first Premier Mandatory final at @BNPPARIBASOPEN! #BNPPO18 pic.twitter.com/Of6djF3Pc2

— WTA (@WTA) March 17, 2018

Osaka and Halep shared 16 winners apiece but the Japanese player broke serve five times as the usually metronomic Romanian lost her range on the backhand especially, ending with a total of 27 unforced errors in 15 games.

“I didn’t want to look too much on the other side of the court, because I felt then I would lose my focus,” said Osaka.

“I was a little bit surprised, especially the start of the second set, because I feel like she gave me free points, but I didn’t try to think too much about it.”

Halep admitted: “She was better. She was more prepared. She was ready to play and ready to win the match. I was not.”

Kasatkina was two points from defeat late in the final set of the first semifinal but Williams missed with a second-serve return at 0-30, and the American could not recover.

Two double-faults in succession handed over the decisive break in the following game and Kastakina served out to claim her fourth successive top-20 win.

“I really stayed strong on the 5-4, 0-30,” said Kasatkina. “It was the toughest moment of the match. I didn’t feel nervous, even when I didn’t put the serve in. I knew what to do. So, it was the most important part of the match.”

> REPORT: Del Potro through to face Raonic in semis

In Indian Wells this week, the Russian has beaten four major champions in a row in Sloane Stephens, Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber and now Williams.

At one changeover her coach, Philippe Dehaes, told Kasatkina: “She is 37 years old, you are 20. Make. Her. Work.”

In the event it looked like Williams would prove the stronger as she pushed hard for a straight-sets win midway through the second, and then again at the end of the decider.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion’s power almost overcame some brilliant variety from her young opponent, with the Russian’s dropshot and jumping backhand already becoming signature shots.

> VIDEO: Naomi Osaka – weird, wonderful and winning

In the end,  Williams paid for racking up 63 errors to 49 winners, compared to the more consistent Kasatkina’s 35 errors and 33 winners.

“To play Venus Williams on centre court in the United States, in the semifinals, one of the biggest tournaments, you just put your heart there, and that’s it,” added the Russian.

.@DKasatkina dazzles to reach her first Premier Mandatory final at @BNPPARIBASOPEN!

She outlasts Williams, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5! #BNPPO18 pic.twitter.com/9b7FRWbLxT

— WTA (@WTA) March 17, 2018