Osaka scores payback; Zverev in semis vs Busta

MANILA, Philippines — Japan’s Naomi Osaka sailed into the semifinals of the US Open on Tuesday as Alexander Zverev of Germany booked his spot in the last four of the men’s draw.

Osaka, the tournament’s fourth seed, swept aside unseeded Shelby Rogers in straight sets to set up a match with Jennifer Brady for a place in Saturday’s final.

The 22-year-old Osaka required just one hour and 20 minutes inside an empty Arthur Ashe Stadium to defeat the 27-year-old Rogers, 6-3, 6-4.

Osaka, the world No. 9, said her victory was payback for three previous defeats to the 93rd-ranked Rogers.

They included a 2017 loss on clay in Charleston that Osaka said had left “a really bad aftertaste in my mouth.”

“Honestly, I just felt like she had the upper hand because I’ve never beaten her,” Osaka said.

“And those memories are stuck in my head so I consider this a little bit of revenge,” she added.

Brady conquered some serious nerves to defeat Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva, 6-3, 6-2, and reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam for the first time.

“Coming into the match today, honestly I was feeling like I was going to poop my pants. I was very nervous,” said the 25-year-old Brady. “I just tried to really stay calm and keep it cool as a cucumber out there.”

Zverev bounced back from a shocking start to oust 27th-seeded Croatian Borna Coric, 1-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/1), 6-3.

He began playing more aggressively after finding himself a set down, and 4-2 behind in the second set.

“I thought to myself I’m down 6-1, 4-2, I have nothing to lose at the moment,” Zverev said.

The German will play Spain’s 20th seed Pablo Carreno Busta for a place in Sunday’s final.

The Spaniard defeated 12th-seeded Canadian Denis Shapovalov, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4), 0-6, 6-3, in an epic five-setter that ended in the early hours of Wednesday.