WHAT HAPPENED: In the youngest US Open semifinal in nearly a decade, 20-year-old Naomi Osaka made history.
The No. 20 seed became the first Japanese woman in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam singles final with a 6-2, 6-4 win over defending finalist and No. 14 seed Madison Keys at the US Open.
In a composed performance that hardly showed it was her first appearance in the final four at a Slam, Osaka needed just 85 minutes to down Keys and set up a date with Serena Williams in Saturday's final.
The Japanese No. 1 saved all 13 break points she faced over the course of the match to defeat the American for the first time in four career meetings.
"This still feels really weird, because I've never beaten Madison before. She's such a good player," a delighted Osaka told ESPN's Tom Rinaldi in her on-court interview in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
"I just tried to think that I've never been in this situation before, [and] I'm just really happy to be here."
The match between Osaka and the 23-year-old Keys featured two of the youngest players to make it this far at the US Open in nine years, when a pair of 19-year-olds - Caroline Wozniacki and Yanina Wickmayer - faced off in the final four in 2009.
"Of course it feels a little bit surreal. Even when I was a little kid, I always dreamed that I would play Serena in a final of a Grand Slam. Just the fact that it's happening, I'm very happy about it," Osaka added in her post-match press conference.
"At the same time I feel like even though I should enjoy this moment, I should still think of it as another match. I shouldn't really think of her as my idol. I should just try to play her as an opponent."
WHAT IT MEANS: The last time Osaka faced Keys at the US Open, she endured the first big heartbreak of her tennis career. Two years ago, the 18-year-old Osaka led Keys 5-1 in the final set of their third round match -- also played in Ashe -- only to fall in a final-set tiebreak.
On that fateful afternoon, she rued missed opportunities - but 24 months later, she wouldn't be denied again.
The 20-year-old landed 70 percent of her first serves in the match, went 3-for-4 on break point opportunities on Keys' serve, and was perfect when she ventured to net (5-for-5).
"I felt like if I could break, maybe I could get back into it. Every time I had a break point, it was an ace or a winner or something like that," Keys said in defeat.
"You're in that match and you think, 'Okay, she's going to let up eventually.' She didn't, so all credit to her...It was really impressive. For a first-time semifinalist on a big stage and all that, it was really impressive she held her nerve the entire time, never really had any kind of slipup."
She saved 10 of the match's break points in a pair of crucial games, one in each set. Trailing 2-1 in the opener, Osaka saved four chances which would've seen Keys move ahead 3-1, and earned the first break of the match in the ensuing game.
After breaking serve to begin the second set, Osaka again passed a big test with flying colors. In a marathon, eight-deuce game, the No. 20 seed saved six break points total to keep a lead which she never relinquished for the duration of the match.
MATCH POINT: And then, there were two.
Saturday's women's championship will see Osaka lift her first Slam title, or Williams win a legendary 24th.
Osaka and Williams have already faced off this season on a big stage, in the opening round of the Miami Open in March. Fresh off her first career title at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells the fortnight prior, Osaka recorded a 6-3, 6-2 victory.
"It's really cool that I was able to play her so early. Of course, I feel like since the circumstances were so different, I'll be able to see how she changed and stuff. I think that experience was really good for me," Osaka said.
"Surprisingly, I felt sort of similar to how I feel now. I'm very hyped for it, but when I step onto the court, I just thought it was another match. I think I was able to play well then. When you just come back and then you make the finals of two slams, I think that's really amazing.
"I really feel like I don't want to overthink this match, so I'm not going to think that she's so much better than she was in Miami. I'm just going to go out there and play. Since I already know she's a good player, I don't want to be surprised if she plays better or not."
